Prince Andrew to no longer use 'His Royal Highness' as Queen removes his military roles
ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship on how the Queen met with her son, to tell him his military roles were being removed
The Duke of York will no longer use the style 'His Royal Highness’ in any official capacity, royal sources have said.
It follows the news Prince Andrew will return his military affiliations and royal patronages to the Queen, Buckingham Palace has announced.
ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship understands the decision to strip Andrew of all his honorary military roles follows discussions among senior members of the Royal Family - including Andrew’s mother, the Queen, his brothers and sister.
The duke saw the Queen on Thursday where she told him face to face that his military roles, his HRH style, and his patronages were being removed from him.
What does the removal of these roles mean? "In terms of his royal role, it's over," says our Royal Editor Chris Ship
The Duke of York is facing a civil case trial over allegations he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was 17, a minor under US law. Andrew has denied the claims and says he has no recollection of having met Ms Giuffre.
On Wednesday a US judge dismissed a motion by Andrew's legal team to have the lawsuit thrown out, after his lawyers argued Ms Giuffre had waived her right to pursue the duke by signing a confidential settlement with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Commenting on that decision on Thursday, Andrew's legal team said: "Given the robustness with which Judge Kaplan greeted our arguments, we are unsurprised by the ruling. However, it was not a judgement on the merits of Ms Giuffre’s allegations.
The duke's office added: "This is a marathon not a sprint and the Duke will continue to defend himself against these claims."
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Announcing the removal of Andrew's roles, Buckingham Palace said: “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.”
Earlier in the day, more than 150 Royal Navy, RAF and Army veterans wrote to the monarch, calling on her to strip Andrew of all his ranks and roles within the British armed forces due to allegations made against him.
The Palace said previously that the duke’s military appointments were in abeyance after he stepped down from public duties in 2019.
But until now he still retained the roles, which left the eight British regiments, including the Grenadier Guards of which he was Colonel, in limbo more than two years on.