The Duke of York title is traditionally given to the monarch’s second son, so it’s possible that Louis will hold it next
Following Prince Andrew’s shocking decision to give up his royal titles, the future of his dukedom is unclear.
In a statement on Friday, Oct. 17, Prince Andrew, 65, revealed that he will no longer use his royal title or honors, as “the continued accusations about me distract from the work of” King Charles and the royal family.
While he remains a prince and retains his place in the line of succession, the move means that Andrew will no longer be known as the Duke of York, the title bestowed upon him by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, on his wedding day to Sarah Ferguson in 1986.
The Dukedom of York is traditionally bestowed on the monarch’s second son, a convention that began with King Edward IV in 1474, according to British etiquette expert Debrett’s. Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, was also known as the Duke of York prior to the surprising abdication of his elder brother, King Edward VIII, in 1936.
Officially removing Prince Andrew’s dukedom would require an Act of Parliament, so it’s likely that the title will simply remain dormant until his death.
The title of duke follows a male-line succession, so it cannot be passed to his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. With no legitimate male heir, Andrew’s dukedom will revert to the Crown upon his death and be available to give to someone else.
If Prince William has acceded to the throne by that time, Prince Louis may become the next Duke of York as the monarch’s second son.
However, William may decide to change tradition and give Louis another title — or possibly no title at all.
Prince Louis on June 14, 2025.Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
The youngest of William’s three children with wife Kate Middleton, 7-year-old Louis and his elder siblings, Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, 10, are all likely to receive titles after their father becomes king and they are of age. But it will be up to William and his family to decide what roles and responsibilities his children take on in the royal family.
It’s expected that George will follow in his father’s footsteps and become the next Prince of Wales, the title traditionally given to the sovereign’s eldest son and heir. William is currently the 22nd prince to hold the title, which was created for Prince Edward of Caernarvon in 1301.
William could also choose to give Charlotte the title of Princess Royal — just as his grandmother Queen Elizabeth did for her only daughter, Princess Anne. The lifelong rank is purely honorary; however, it is the highest honor that can be given to a female member of the royal family. Including Anne, Debrett’s notes that only seven princesses have held the title since it was created by King Charles I in 1642 for his daughter, Princess Mary.
Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Trooping the Colour in June 2025.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
royal titles and responsibilities are likely a long way off for Louis, the young prince was recently offered his first patronage.
Following the revelation by his mother that Louis was avidly gathering conkers as a favorite autumn activity, the World Conker Championships extended an offer for the prince to become the event’s honorary patron.
Conkers are the seeds of horse chestnut trees that are collected by children to play a game of the same name that involves knocking two together to break the weaker seed.
“We keep finding conkers in cupboards, in his bed – conkers everywhere!” Princess Kate reportedly revealed during her Scouts outing with first lady Melania Trump on Sept. 18.
This led to the offer from the World Conker Championships, which reportedly amused William and Kate, though they ultimately declined on their son’s behalf.
“We really appreciate the invitation, but currently, Prince Louis is ‘conker-trating’ on his studies,” a palace spokesman said, according to The Telegraph.
