As if the ignominy of losing his royal titles was not enough for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, residents living in roads named after the disgraced former prince are now calling for their addresses to be renamed.
Prince Andrew Road and the adjoining Prince Andrew Close in Maidenhead were named after Queen Elizabeth II’s third child when he was born in 1960.
Some residents of the two roads have suggested they should be renamed, after Mountbatten Windsor was admonished by the royal family for emerging details of his friendship with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations against him by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre.
Mountbatten Windsor has always denied claims he had sex with Giuffre when she was 17, and settled a civil case with her for a reported £12m with no admission of liability.
Last week, King Charles initiated a “formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew”. He will also leave his home at the Royal Lodge in Windsor – about seven miles away from Prince Andrew Road.
Prince Andrew Road resident Tom Kirk told the Maidenhead Advertiser that his address – a short walk from the River Thames – now has an “embarrassing association”.
“Whenever you speak with someone, if you’re ordering something or tell someone where you live there’s always raised eyebrows,” he told the newspaper.
“There’s the ethical standpoint with the association. This road name is now linked to controversy, given the severity of the allegations that continue to come through.
“In terms of where you live from a community side, it should reflect strong values like integrity, equality, respect.
“This road name doesn’t really represent that.”
Kirk has contacted Windsor and Maidenhead council to explore the process for changing the name.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, felt the name should change. They told the BBC: “Some people might say that there are loads of bad men and women in the world who have buildings named after them. They haven’t been changed or destroyed or so forth. But, I feel, if we can, why not explore it?”
Others were more wary of the impact an address change would have. Trisha Ray, who has lived in Prince Andrew Road since 1977, told the Maidenhead Advertiser: “All the people I’d have to contact with my new address, I think it’s possibly more trouble than it’s worth.”
Windsor and Maidenhead council follows guidelines for renaming streets. In exceptional circumstances residents can apply to the council to rename a street. This may be done if there is confusion over the street’s name, the residents are in agreement that the street name should be changed, or the current numbering system is causing issues.
A council spokesperson said: “There is a formal legal process for requests to rename street names.
“In addition, the council has its own criteria and standards that must be met, including full consent from all affected property owners and adherence to national addressing conventions.
“Any formal application will be assessed in line with these procedures. Further details, including requirements and fees, can be found on our website.”
