Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor name change debate settled after confusion


The King stripped his disgraced brother, the former Prince, of his titles, styles and honours on 30 October after a string of scandals


Prince Andrew outside church on Easter© UK Press via Getty Images
Danielle Stacey
Danielle StaceyOnline Royal Correspondent - London
Updated: November 12, 2025
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's name will be used with a hyphen going forward, HELLO! understands. The change comes less than two weeks after the King stripped his brother of all of his titles, styles and honours. When Buckingham Palace shared the statement from His Majesty on 30 October, it announced that the former Duke of York would be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – with no hyphen in his name.

While both versions of his name have been used, a hyphen will be used in accordance with his late mother's Queen Elizabeth II's wishes, so that it reads Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. After the late Queen's accession in 1952, she decided with her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, that they would like their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the royal family, without changing the name of the Royal House.

During a Privy Council Declaration in 1960, Her Late Majesty said: "Whereas on the 9th day of April 1952, I did declare in Council My Will and Pleasure that I and my children shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, and that my descendants, other than female descendants who marry and their descendants, shall bear the name of Windsor.

The late Queen and Prince Andrew were very close© Getty
The late Queen wanted her descendants to use the surname, Mountbatten-Windsor

"And whereas I have given further consideration to the position of those of My descendants who will enjoy neither the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness, nor the titular dignity of Prince and for whom therefore a surname will be necessary: And whereas I have concluded that the Declaration made by me on the 9th day of April 1952, should be varied in its application to such persons:

"Now therefore I declare My Will and Pleasure that, while I and my children shall continue to be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, my descendants other than descendants enjoying the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness and the titular dignity of Prince or Princess and female descendants who marry and their descendants shall bear the name of Mountbatten-Windsor."

Lady Louise Windsor looking over her shoulder in a straw hat© Getty Images
Lady Louise uses the Mountbatten-Windsor surname with a hyphen

While Andrew is still listed as the Duke of York on the line of succession on the royal family's website, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh's daughter uses the hyphen in her name - The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor. Similarly, following the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son in May 2019, his full name was registered as Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

Loss of titles, styles and honours

Andrew was stripped of his prince title, dukedom and honours over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein. The former Prince vehemently denies all allegations.

Andrew announced on October 17 that he will no longer use his titles and honors © Karwai Tang/WireImage
Andrew and Sarah last seen publicly at the Duchess of Kent's funeral in September

Following the removal of his titles, he is set to move from Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park in the new year to the King's private Sandringham estate. It comes after it emerged that Andrew had only paid "peppercorn" rent on the 30-room mansion. While his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer use her courtesy title, Duchess of York, the former couple's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, retain their royal titles and HRH styles.

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