“It is unfortunate that the road has two schools and a kids’ playpark,” one resident said
There has been a mixed reaction in Carrickfergus following calls to rename Prince Andrew Way after Buckingham Palace announced that the King has stripped him of his titles following further revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
On Thursday, the Palace announced that the former Duke of York will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Belfast Live visited Carrickfergus, where there have been calls to rename a road which had been named after the former prince and found a mixed reaction to the proposals.
“It is very sad what has happened, and I feel sorry for his wee mummy as well,” one person said. “Changing the name is all going to cost money, and there are other things they could spend it on. What are they going to call it now? Andrew Way and get rid of the Prince? It would only confuse people. I am going to be honest, when I hear people talking about Prince Andrew Way, I never actually thought about Prince Andrew. He never came into my head.”
Another resident said she believed the road should have been renamed long ago.
“This is something I have been in favour of for years,” she said. “I have strong opinions on the matter, and if you look, historically, there have been [alleged] sexual abuse scandals within the Royals. Carrickfergus has a strong connection with the royals; William of Orange landed just down the road, but it puts a bad name on the community. There are other members of the royal family, or aspects of the union, we could be celebrating. It is unfortunate that the road has two schools and a kids’ playpark.”
A third resident suggested that the road should be renamed King Charles Way or named after the Princess of Wales or her children, George or Charlotte.
Ryan Lyttle and Rhiannon Crawford, who live on Prince Andrew Way, said they hadn’t given the road’s name a second thought until today.
“If people feel like it needs to be changed, they can choose to do that themselves. At the end of the day, we grew up like that, and we personally live on it ourselves,” Ryan said. “It is not something we have thought about until today, but for my whole life it has been that name, and it won’t make any odds to me if it is changed.”
Meanwhile, the DUP have tabled a motion in Mid and East Antrim Borough Council calling for the road to be renamed.
In a statement on Friday, the party said: “The Carrickfergus DUP team believe that the continued association of our town with Prince Andrew, through the naming of Prince Andrew Way, is no longer appropriate.
“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.
“This DUP have been firm on this since 2021, when the late Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his HRH and military titles.
“Our Council team have tabled a motion, calling on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to initiate the formal process to rename Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus, and to consult with local residents on a suitable alternative that honours the heritage and character of our town.
“This is not a decision taken lightly, but it is the right one to ensure Carrickfergus remains a place associated with dignity and respect.”
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