Full list of royals who gave up their titles or abdicated for love, scandal or health

Prince Andrew and Queen Margrethe of Denmark are two royals who gave up their roles (Image: GETTY)

The royal line of succession in Britain drastically changed direction in 1936 after King Edward VIII abdicated in order to fulfil his wish to marry American Wallis Simpson. After his abdication, King George VI – who was Edward’s younger brother – was forced to take the throne – placing the then young Princess Elizabeth closer to the throne.

The late Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne in 1952, but the abdication that eventually led her to become the longest-serving British monarch was not the last major episode shaking up royal families in Europe. Here, the Express looks at six royals – or royal couples – who had their royal titles or key positions removed, whether out of their own control or by their own choice.

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After his abdication on December 10, 1936, Edward was given the Duke of Windsor title by his younger brother, who acceded to the throne.

In his speech announcing the move, the former king told Brits: “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.”

No member of the Royal Family attended his wedding to Wallis Simpson, whom he married on June 3, 1937.

Then Duke of Windsor made the decision to abdicate on December 10, 193 (Image: GETTY)

Back in 2020, Meghan and Harry announced their plan to step back as senior working members of the Royal Family.

The couple eventually moved from the UK to California, where they are now raising their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

Harry, 40, currently remains fifth in line for the British throne behind Prince William and his three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

The couple have kept their ‘Sussex’ titles but, as agreed with the late Queen, Meghan and Harry gave up the right to use their HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) styles in a public setting.

Meghan and Harry stepped down and moved to the US in 2020 (Image: GETTY)

The late Princess of Wales, who married the then Prince Charles in 1981, lost the official designation of Her Royal Highness after their divorce.

She was allowed to, however, retain an allowance, her apartment at Kensington Palace and the ability to use St. James’ Palace.

Diana – who was the mother of Prince Harry and Prince William – was also allowed to retain certain royal privileges – such as her right to use the aircraft of the royal squadron.

She died following injuries she sustained in a car accident in Paris in August 1997. She was just 36 years old.

Princess Diana died in 1997 aged 36 (Image: GETTY)

In order to become the Duke of Edinburgh and marry the late Queen, Prince Philip had to renounce his Danish and Greek royal titles and become a naturalised British subject.

He eventually adopted his maternal grandparents’ last name of Mountbatten.

Philip was also baptised into the Church of England the month before his wedding to the then Princess Elizabeth, which was held in November 1947.

Harper’s Bazaar previously shared why he never held the title of King during his marriage to the late Queen, writing: “In British royalty, the wife of a king is called a queen consort, but the husband of a queen is called a prince consort, not a king consort.”

Prince Philip married the late Queen in 1947 (Image: GETTY)

After reigning for more than half a century, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark stepped back in January 2024.

The announcement came on New Year’s Eve 2023 that she would abdicate just two weeks later, alluding to health concerns being a major reason for the decision.

In her speech, which was translated into English, she said: “In two weeks’ time, I have been Queen of Denmark for 52 years. Such an amount will leave its mark on anybody — also on me! The time takes its toll, and the number of ‘ailments’ increases. One cannot undertake as much as one managed in the past.”

Her son, known as King Frederik X, took over as monarch of Denmark.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark abdicated on New Year’s Eve 2023 (Image: Getty)

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Prince Andrew, who is the third child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, announced his decision to resign from his royal duties in November 2019.

He stepped down in the wake of backlash to his BBC Newsnight interview surrounding his relationship with disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement, Andrew, 65, said: “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.

“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”