Prince Andrew’s Road residents in Hellesdon call for name change

Residents in a street called Prince Andrew’s Road are urging officials to consider changing its name.

Councilor Shelagh Gurney said several people in Hellesdon, near Norwich, had contacted her, unhappy at being associated with the former prince, stripped of his title by the King last week over his ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Gurney said changing the name would involve solicitors and a lot of expense for residents, who would have to change their address on all official documents.

But she said anyone concerned might be happier if they knew the road was actually named after a different prince entirely: the late Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark.

“There’s a kind of misconception that this road is named after Prince Andrew… now Mr Mountbatten Windsor,” said Gurney, a Conservative county, district and parish councillor.

In fact, she said, research indicated it was named before he was born, in honor of his grandfather, who died in 1944, and was the father of Prince Philip, formerly the Duke of Edinburgh.

For the name to be changed, she said, every single resident would have to agree.

Stacy Baldry, 41, was among a handful of residents to get in touch with Gurney about the issue.

“I feel it’s very unfortunate and I’m glad we don’t plan to stay here long-term. We’ll be moving in a couple of years, anyway,” said Ms Baldry.

“Because of the connotation, we wouldn’t want any association with the name. I don’t even want to say the name.”

But 85-year-old Valerie Attfield was not keen to change her address.

“I have no objection whether they change it or not, but I think that’s a bit silly, really,” she said.

“That’s going to cost more money, and it’s not only here: there’s another one at Thorpe.”

Linda Pendergrass, who lives in one of the 107 properties on Prince Andrew’s Road, said: “Honestly, I don’t care. Not in the slightest.

“What’s the old saying about sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you?”

She is currently in the process of moving to near Sandringham, the King’s private estate where the former prince will live.

“I’m going to be even closer to him,” she said.

“Even if I were staying here, I wouldn’t be putting up a fuss about changing the name of the road.”