London Queen Elizabeth II’s alternate son, Prince Andrew, was on Thursday effectively stripped of his position in royal life, in a dramatic move as he faces a US civil case for sexual assault.
British media quoted an unnamed royal source as saying he’d no longer use the”His Royal Highness” (HRH) title, which designates elderly members of the royal family, in any capacity.
The move came after Buckingham Palace blazoned that he’d given up his memorial military titles and charitable places as the US case looms.
“The Duke of York will continue not to shoulder any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen,”a statement read.
A New York judge on Wednesday dismissed an attempt by Andrew’s attorneys to have the case brought by Virginia Giuffre thrown out.
Giuffre, 38, accuses Andrew– frequently called the Queen’s” favourite son”– of sexually assaulting her in 2001 when she was 17, claiming she was delivered to him by Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, who strenuously denies the allegation, was forced to quit public life after a calamitous 2019 interview in which he claimed to have no memory of meeting Giuffre and defended his fellowship with condemned paedophile Epstein, who was plant hanged in captivity in 2019.
Public outrage at the time saw several charities and associations part themselves from him and he has infrequently been since in public since.
On Thursday, he was seen being driven from his house near Windsor Castle, west of London, an AFP photographer said.
– Stager’s wrathfulness-
Further than 150 Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British Army stagers wrote to the Queen, calling on her to strip Andrew of his species and titles in the fortified forces.
The 95- time-old head of state is commander-in- chief of the army, cortege and air force.
“Were this any other elderly military officer it’s implausible that he’d still be in post,”they wrote in a common letter made public by theanti-monarchy pressure group Republic.
” Officers of the British fortified forces must cleave to the veritably loftiest norms of probity, honesty and honourable conduct.
“These are norms which Prince Andrew has fallen well short of,”they said, adding that he’d” brought the services he’s associated with into reproach”.
Elderly members of the British royal family have generally been appointed as memorial heads of military units, with the Queen’s blessing.
Andrew was memorial colonel of the Grenadier Guards, whose dogfaces guard Buckingham Palace in their distinctive bearskin headdresses and red tunics.
Royal auspices are associations with charities and other organisations.
-‘Rabbit running spooked’-
For a monarchy beset by heads, 2022 was meant to celebrate Elizabeth II’s 70 times on the throne, with processions, pageants and public leaves.
But Andrew’s legal straits hang further pain for the geriatric monarch, after her grandson Prince Harry and his woman Meghan’s shock move to the United States, from where they criticised royal life, including criminating it of racism.
Andrew will probably have to respond to Giuffre’s allegations from Britain in a recorded deposit, unless he successfully appeals or reaches a agreement.
One of Giuffre’s attorneys, David Boies, told the BBC on Wednesday his customer wasn’t ruling out a deal, but a fiscal agreement would not be enough.
“It’s veritably important to Virginia Giuffre that this matter be resolved in a way that vindicates her and vindicates the other victims,”he said.
Royal annalist Anna Whitelock said there were”no good options”for Andrew. A fiscal agreement would also raise questions about where the plutocrat came from, she told AFP.
According to the British media, he lately settled a disagreement over a£6.6 million ($ 9 million,7.9 million) debt, which will allow him to vend a Swiss lodge he bought in 2014 for a reported£ 18 million.
The BBC’s former royal pressman, Jennie Bond said Andrew has lately” given the print of a rabbit running spooked of hiding behind his mama’s tartan skirts. trying to avoid the court papers being served on him”.
In 2002, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee time saw the death of her youngish family, Princess Margaret, also their mama, also called queen Elizabeth.
“And now this is another festival in which commodity so distasteful is hanging over the total of the coming many months,”she told Sky News.
“But how disturbing for a 95- time-old woman to have to challenge her 61- time-old son about his allegations of sexual misconduct.”