Disgraced Andrew’s Duke of York title stripped from historic London theatre

Disgraced Andrew’s Duke of York title stripped from historic London theatre Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor previously held the Duke title, and now, following the Epstein scandal, it will be removed from a theatre in London’s West End London’s iconic Duke of York’s theatre is set to be renamed, removing all association to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Andrew became the Duke of York in 1986, on the day he tied the knot with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Despite holding the prestigious title for almost 40 years, the disgraced royal was stripped of the Duke title in October last year, when his brother King Charles removed all his royal titles and began the process of evicting him from Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate amid his association with the Epstein scandal. Andrew denies any wrongdoing. The West End theatre, located on St Martin's Lane, will soon be renamed in a tribute to British playwright Sir Tom Stoppard. ATG Entertainment has said that the renaming is a "lasting tribute" to one of the "most influential playwrights in British theatre", who died in November last year at the age of 88. The theatre, which was initially called the Trafalgar Square theatre, became the Duke of York's in 1895, after the duke at the time went on to become King George V. Andrew Rawlinson, ATG Entertainment's business director in London, said that the renaming "felt like the right and natural way to keep [Stoppard] among us". He also added: "Sir Tom Stoppard gave the British theatre some of its most brilliant and best-loved work, and he did it with a wit and a humanity that audiences carried home with them." The late playwright's four children - Ollie, Barny, Will and Ed - have all welcomed the theatre's name change. They said: "The West End was close to his heart and we feel sure he would be thrilled and humbled in equal measure by this great honour." Among Stoppard’s plays are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Jumpers, Travesties, The Real Thing, The Invention of Love, The Coast of Utopia, Rock 'n' Roll and Leopoldstadt. One of Sir Tom's plays, Arcadia, is currently playing at the theatre, which will have its signage changed to the new name in the next few months. The theatre owners did not say that the new name is connected to Andrew or his involvement in the Epstein scandal, however an actor - who had previously performed in the theatre - wrote a letter to the Stage newspaper last Autumn saying it was time for the venue to be renamed. Since Andrew’s involvement in the Epstein scandal and his arrest in February, his name has been removed from landmarks and streets around the country. The Duke of York Stakes, a horse race run each year at York, was renamed to the Minster Stakes, while The Duke of York pub at York station has become the Line and Whistle. In Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, councillors voted to change the name of Prince Andrew Way, whilst locals in Hellesdon, near Norwich, also raised concerns about Prince Andrew's Road. A picture of the former prince, which once hung over the Duke of York pub in central London, was also taken down last year.