Calls Grow to Rename Melbourne Street Honouring Disgraced Prince Andrew

Residents in a Melbourne suburb are calling for Prince Andrew Avenue to be renamed after the disgraced former royal was stripped of his titles following his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Whittlesea Council confirmed it has received multiple enquiries from people living on Prince Andrew Avenue in Lalor, asking whether the street could be renamed to reflect the British royal’s fall from grace.

A council spokesperson said officials had contacted Geographic Names Victoria (GNV) to discuss the process.

“In accordance with the Naming Rules for Places in Victoria, road names should be enduring and changed only when necessary,” the spokesperson said.

However, the council added that a change would only proceed if there was “demonstrated support from a majority of affected residents.”

“Should there be clear support from residents of the street for a name change, Council will undertake a formal consultation process and, if appropriate, submit a re-naming proposal to GNV for assessment,” the spokesperson said.
“Council is currently liaising with the residents who enquired about a name change to discuss next steps.”

Royal Scandal Sparks Local Backlash

The push to rename the street follows the fallout from Andrew’s close friendship with Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

King Charles later stripped his brother — now officially known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — of his military titles and patronages, effectively exiling him from public royal duties.

Andrew has denied all allegations of sexual abuse but in 2022 reached a multi-million-dollar civil settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was forced to have sex with him on multiple occasions in 2001 when she was a teenager.

While he did not admit wrongdoing, the settlement included an acknowledgment that Giuffre was a victim of abuse.

Giuffre died by suicide at her home in Neergabby, Western Australia, earlier this year. Her posthumous memoir, detailing her encounters with Andrew and Epstein, was released last month, reigniting public anger over Andrew’s past.

Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts Giuffre and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Community Divided but Momentum Growing

Residents in Lalor have expressed mixed feelings about the name change, with some saying the street’s association with the former prince is now “deeply uncomfortable.” Others worry about the inconvenience of updating addresses and documents.

Despite this, support appears to be growing for a fresh start. Local historian groups have suggested the street could be renamed to honour an Australian figure of integrity or someone from the community’s diverse migrant history.

The Whittlesea Council said it will only move forward once formal consultation has taken place and a majority consensus among residents is achieved.