In a rare move, Queen Elizabeth has stripped her son Prince Andrew of all his military titles and royal patronages as the fallout of Andrew’s alleged dealings with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell for underage girls for sex have received renewed attention, Variety reports. A lawsuit by one of his accusers, Virginia Giuffre, was permitted to continue in American courts, likely the last straw for the Queen.
In a statement from Buckingham Palace, the Queen announced the move: “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.”
The punishment means Andrew will not longer be referred to as His Royal Highness, or HRH, in formal titles.