Prince Andrew renounces military titles, patronages ahead of lawsuit
Global News
A royal source said Prince Andrew would no longer use the title 'His Royal Highness’ in any official capacity.
Prince Andrew has renounced his military titles and patronages, returning them to Queen Elizabeth ahead of his upcoming lawsuit connected to his relationship with disgraced late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
A press release from the Palace on Friday morning read: “With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
A royal source said Andrew would no longer use the title ‘His Royal Highness’ in any official capacity and his other roles would be distributed among other members of the Royal family. They would not return to Prince Andrew.
More than 150 veterans signed an open letter calling for Queen Elizabeth to strip her son Prince Andrew of his military titles, the campaign group Republic said on Thursday.
A day after Andrew’s lawyers failed to persuade a U.S. judge to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit against him which accuses the royal of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager, the anti-monarchy group released the letter from veterans angry that he still held honorary military roles.
Their letter to the 95-year-old monarch called for her to take immediate action because Andrew, the Duke of York, had been “uncooperative and less than truthful” about his relationship with Epstein, and had brought the armed services he represented into disrepute.
“We are particularly upset and angry that Prince Andrew remains a member of the armed forces and continues to hold military titles, positions and ranks, including that of Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy,” the letter said.
“We are therefore asking that you take immediate steps to strip Prince Andrew of all his military ranks and titles and, if necessary, that he be dishonourably discharged.”