“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen.”
(Picture: Getty Images)Queen Elizabeth II is stripping her son, Prince Andrew, of all his military titles and royal patronage.
“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,” read a statement from Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
While he remains known as Prince Andrew, he will no longer be called His Royal Highness.
The military titles lost include:
- Colonel of the Grenadier Guards
- Honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth
- Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment
- Colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps
- Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm
- Royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers
- Deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own)
- Royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
It all comes after a US judge denied his request to dismiss the civil case on Wednesday, meaning Prince Andrew, 61, will stand trial over Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s sexual assault allegations.
This could be a significant sweat-inducing blow for the Duke of York, who strenuously denies any wrongdoing.
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And, in light of the news, Twitter lit up with mockery for the royal.
Liam Thorp came up with an inspired pun, referencing the musical artist Prince:
The Andrew Formerly Known as Prince
— Liam Thorp (@LiamThorpECHO) January 13, 2022
BREAKING! Prince Andrew to retain title of Mummy’s Special Little Soldier
— NewsThump (@newsthump) January 13, 2022
Mr Andrew. The artist formally known as Prince.#PrinceAndrew pic.twitter.com/LycHqOexeK
— Bernie's Tweets (@BernieSpofforth) January 13, 2022
One person noted that he’s not the only one who can no longer call himself ‘royal highness’:
Prince Harry and his uncle Andrew, both unable to call themselves His Royal Highness. #royal #PrinceAndrew
— Richard Eden (@richardaeden) January 13, 2022
They always say blood is thicker than water. But if the water happens to be sweat...
Blood is thicker than water. Unless that water is sweat. #PrinceAndrew https://t.co/KiOQl1UmD2
— Mark Critch (@markcritch) January 13, 2022
Have stripped Prince Andrew of his military titles. He said it was “no sweat”.
— Elizabeth Windsor (parody) (@Queen_UK) January 13, 2022
#princeandrew Sweating now I bet pic.twitter.com/xPQv7UmWAK
— Disney Man UK °○° (@DisneyManUK) January 12, 2022
The Queen certainly seems to mean business with her latest move:
Prince Andrew loses military titles, patronages & will no longer be called HRH.
— Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) January 13, 2022
The Queen certainly didn’t mess about. 😂
Prince Andrew’s lawyer previously said that the case “should absolutely be dismissed” because Giuffre had forfeited her right to prosecute him through a confidential settlement with a sex offender and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
Within court documents, Giuffre mentioned that she was the victim of sex trafficking and abuse by the late Jeffrey Epstein.
She alleged that Epstein forced her to sleep with his friends – one being the Duke.
She was only 17 at the time.
Giuffre is suing Prince Andrew for battery and emotional distress.
He has repeatedly rejected the allegations, claiming that a 2009 non-prosecution agreement between Epstein and Giuffre should exempt him from liability.
Judge Lewis A Kaplan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York said that a trial for this case could happen between September and December 2022.
