13 January 2022

Prince Andrew‘s military titles and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.

Prince Andrew is to lose his military titles

The 61-year-old prince will no longer use ‘His Royal Highness’ in an official capacity and his roles will be given to other members of the royal family, according to the BBC.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “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 spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the decision, saying it was a matter for the Palace.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Prince Andrew will face a civil case in the US over allegations he sexually assaulted a woman when she was 17.

A federal court judge in New York City ruled that a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre can move forward.

Giuffre has accused convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – who committed suicide in August 2019 – and his one-time girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell of arranging and forcing her into having sex with Prince Andrew in 2001, when she was 17.

Giuffre claims her alleged abuse at the hands of the pair involved being lent out to powerful men.

In December, Maxwell was convicted by a jury in US federal court on five sex trafficking-related counts, which carry a potential custodial sentence of up to 65 years’ imprisonment.

Giuffre filed a civil suit against Andrew on August 9, 2021, using a New York state law that allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to sue, regardless of whether the alleged crimes took place outside the statute of limitations.

Andrew has repeatedly denied Giuffre’s allegations and his legal team recently argued to get her lawsuit dismissed, citing a 2009 deal and $500,000 settlement she agreed with Epstein.

However, the judge in New York recently ruled that the case could continue.