Proposal to remove Prince Andrew name from Carrickfergus road
A move to strip Prince Andrew of his titles has sparked debate on the potential renaming of a key route in Carrickfergus.
Buckingham Palace announced on October 30 that the King had “initiated a formal process” to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew, who will be known going forward as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
The former prince must also move out of his residence, Royal Lodge.
It follows intense scrutiny over his links to convicted child sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has always strongly denied the allegations against him.
Following the news from the palace, a proposal to rename Carrick’s Prince Andrew Way has been tabled by councillors in Mid and East Antrim.
It is understood elected representatives are to vote on the motion at the November meeting of the local authority.
In a statement, the DUP team in Carrickfergus said that a continued association of the town with Prince Andrew, through the naming of Prince Andrew Way, "is no longer appropriate."
The statement added: "Recent events have brought significant disgrace upon Andrew and, by extension, have cast a shadow over the royal household. His actions and the circumstances surrounding them have caused deep embarrassment for the Royal Family.
"Carrickfergus has a proud history and strong community values. It is vital that the names of our streets reflect those values and do not commemorate individuals whose conduct has brought the Royal Family into disrepute."
The Alliance Party's Councillor Lauren Gray said that she had been receiving correspondence from constituents for several months about the continued use of the former Prince's name on the local roadway.
"I’m hopeful that with the support of all other parties, Council officers – alongside all who need to be included - will be able to begin the process of renaming this street," she added.
Posting on social media, a number of Carrick residents indicated they would support the street signs named after Andrew being removed.
Some have suggested a new name could honour other royal figures, such as the late Queen, or pay tribute to the town’s military links.
Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, a handful of streets are named after the disgraced former prince, including in Belfast and County Tyrone.