The Duke of York faces a further public rebuke as a local authority in Scotland moves to consult residents on stripping his name from a residential street. Renfrewshire Council has initiated a formal process regarding Andrew Avenue in Renfrew, following the monarch's decision to remove the former prince's military affiliations and royal patronages.
Councillor Advocates for Resident Choice
SNP Councillor John Shaw, who proposed the motion, emphasised that the core issue is democratic choice for the people who live on the street. He clarified that the council is not imposing a change but is responding to the dramatically altered circumstances surrounding the street's namesake.
"It's about one simple principle," stated Councillor Shaw. "That is giving the local residents a genuine choice over the name of the street they live on." He noted that Andrew Avenue was named in the late 1960s or early 1970s, alongside neighbouring roads honouring other younger royals: Edward, Anne, and Charles.
He argued that the context and public standing of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have shifted fundamentally since that time, necessitating a review. Andrew has consistently and strongly denied any wrongdoing in relation to his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A Pattern of Removal Across the UK
The action in Renfrew is not an isolated case. It forms part of a growing trend across the United Kingdom to dissociate public spaces from the disgraced duke. Just weeks prior, a similar process began in Northern Ireland regarding Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus, County Antrim.
That street was named following his 1986 marriage, which also conferred his now-removed Duke of York title. Alliance Party Councillor Lauren Gray, who proposed the change there, reported receiving suggestions for renaming since her election in 2019, with requests intensifying over the past year.
In a move to retain a royal connection but shift the honour, a seconded motion in Carrickfergus suggested renaming the street after Queen Elizabeth II as a tribute to a "strong female leader in a male-dominated world."
The Final Decision Rests with Locals
Back in Renfrew, the council has directed officers to formally engage with residents of Andrew Avenue. The consultation will determine whether the name should be changed and, if so, to what. Councillor Shaw was adamant that the outcome should be decided by those directly affected.
"Let me be absolutely clear, this motion does not seek to rename Andrew Avenue, it doesn't impose a decision, it doesn't dictate an outcome," he said. "What it does is recognise that residents of the street - not politicians, not social media, not those unaffected by the outcome - should have the final say on whether the name of their own street remains appropriate."
The consultations in both Renfrew and Carrickfergus signify the ongoing national and international concern regarding Andrew's behaviour and character, translating into tangible civic action. The results will be a telling indicator of public sentiment in communities once proud to carry his name.
