Reflections | Andrew’s loss of ‘prince’ title echoes downfall of many a demoted royal in imperial China
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s fall from prince to commoner mirrors how many disgraced royals in imperial China also lost their titles
“The Andrew formerly known as Prince,” British tabloid The Sun announced on its front page on October 31. It was the cheekiest headline I have seen in a while.
Last month, following the posthumous publication of Giuffre’s memoir six months after her suicide, Charles moved to strip Andrew of his princely title entirely. Henceforth, he will be known simply as “Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor”.
Though still technically in the line of succession, he has been reduced, in effect, to commoner status and exiled from public life.
Once stripped of rank, a prince’s fall was absolute. He lost his title and all the privileges that came with it. Without a state stipend, he could slip into poverty if he did not have a private income, like land or property.