Ex-Prince Andrew's Streets of Shame – Behind the Massively Expensive U.K. Mission to Strip Shamed Former Royal's Name From Road Signs

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is at the center of a sprawling and increasingly costly effort by councils across Britain to erase his name from public streets, and OK! has the inside story of how local authorities are grappling with embarrassment, administrative hurdles and the political sensitivities of renaming roads once intended to honor him – as well as the huge expense attached to the project.

The former prince's name appears on streets from Broadstairs to Belfast to Birmingham, a legacy of years when his public standing was uncontroversial and his 1986 marriage to Sarah Ferguson, now 66, was widely celebrated.

That era ended after the fallout from allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, the most high-profile s-- trafficking victim of Windsor's old pal Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing linked to his friendship with the pedophile, but the scandal has now led to the formal stripping of his military titles and royal patronages.

The title-stripping move from King Charles, 77, has also triggered a reckoning in towns left with roads that residents say now provoke "smirks" and "raised eyebrows."

Councils across the U.K. are now moving at different speeds to strip Windsor's name from street signs – some have opened consultations, others have quietly rewritten internal rules – but all face the same maze of bureaucracy, cost and political risk.

In Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, Prince Andrew Way is heading for removal after Mid and East Antrim council approved a renaming motion. One councillor described the step as "sad but necessary." A public consultation is underway. In Maidenhead, Berkshire, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has eased rules for renaming Prince Andrew Road and Prince Andrew Close after locals complained of what one resident called "surface-level embarrassment" when giving their address.

A senior council figure involved in the process said: "Residents have been clear about how uncomfortable they feel. The council can't ignore that, even if the administrative workload is enormous."

Another official added: "There's recognition that the reputational issue isn't going away. People want a clean slate."

Other areas – including Cambridge, Hitchin, Telford, Newport, Enniskillen and Dungannon – are examining their options, though a road in Norwich is disputed, with some councillors arguing it was named after Prince Philip's father, not Andrew.

Replacing signage is only the beginning. Changes mean residents must update bank accounts, driving licences, utility bills and even pet microchips with their new address. Businesses also face making changes to stationery, branding and legal documents. And councils must consult the emergency services and the Royal Mail to avoid address duplications.

A source familiar with the procedural demands said: "Once you start going through the list of everything that changes with an address, you see why councils move cautiously. It's not just a sign on a pole – it's people's whole administrative identity."

The complexities recall the renaming of Black Boy Lane in Tottenham in 2023, which took three years, cost at least $70,000 and provoked local resistance even after the new name, La Rose Lane, was installed.

The episode is frequently cited in council discussions as a cautionary tale in both cost and community impact.

Richard Harwood KC, a U.K. expert in planning law, said: "I think one reason why changes aren't very common, and one reason for it being contentious, is the admin."

Experts say under the Leveling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 councils must show they have secured "sufficient local support" for street sign changes, but the government has not defined what that means.

Mr Harwood added: "All we've got now is section 81 of the 2023 act. And that means it's a matter for the local authority to alter the name, and the operation needs to have the necessary support."

He also said what counts as local backing "is a bit muddy."

Some spots have found faster solutions. In the Falkland Islands, plaques unveiled by Windsor during and after the 1982 conflict have been removed, including those at a school and a hospital. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said a plaque at the RAF Mount Pleasant airbase had also gone, though it was removed during renovations before the Epstein allegations and never reinstalled.