Buckingham Palace announced that the Duke of York’s military titles and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen. According to a royal source, Prince Andrew, 61, will likewise quit using the style His Royal Highness in an official capacity.
It comes as he faces a civil suit in the United States over sexual assault allegations, which he has always denied.
According to a source close to the duke, he will “continue to defend himself” in the New York case launched by Virginia Giuffre.
However, the source emphasised that a judge’s decision to allow the civil suit to proceed on Wednesday was “not a judgement on the merits of Ms Giuffre’s allegations.”
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Duke of York’s military associations and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen with the Queen’s assent and agreement.
“The Duke of York will continue to refuse to perform any governmental obligations and is defending himself as a private person in this matter.”
According to a source, all of Prince Andrew’s roles have been returned to the Queen and will be allocated to other members of the Royal Family.
The subject had been discussed extensively with the Royal Family, according to the source.
Prince Andrew, like Harry and Meghan, will keep his title of HRH but will not use it in any official role.
The Ministry of Defence had no comment on the duke’s military titles being returned to the Queen, and stated it was a matter for the Palace to handle.
More than 150 Royal Navy, RAF, and Army veterans signed a letter to the Queen on Thursday, urging her to divest Prince Andrew of his eight British military titles. The letter was posted by anti-monarchy pressure organisation Republic.
Lt Stuart Hunt, a member of The 1st Royal Tank Regiment who signed the letter, said the prince’s military titles should have been revoked sooner, but that the problem should have been settled sooner.
According to the PA News Agency, the 52-year-old said: “It’s a shady enterprise… I’m just relieved that he’s no longer involved with the service.
“Whether he is guilty or not, he has tainted the situation… He is unfit to hold an honorary position. By getting himself into this circumstance, he has forfeited that right.”
Buckingham Palace’s retaliation has been fast and ruthless.
The Royal Family is attempting to separate itself from the tainted aftermath of the charges against Prince Andrew.
There will be no more His Royal Highness in this court case, thus he will have to defend himself as a private citizen against Virginia Giuffre.
This is said to have been a mutual decision, rather than anything forced upon them.
However, the military titles and royal functions will be passed along to other members of the family, implying that they will not be returned to Prince Andrew regardless of the outcome.
The window of opportunity for a return to public life is closing.
He appears to be maintaining his constitutional function as “counsellor of state,” one of four royals who can take over the Queen’s official duties if she becomes ill.
The court case will continue to generate headlines, and there will be worry that it will cast a pall over the jubilee year, but this clear decision will have already quenched calls for his removal from his remaining official positions.
Prince Andrew has categorically denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyers claim that the investigation is a “marathon, not a sprint.”