The Queen has stripped Prince Andrew’s military affiliations and Royal patronages, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
He will no longer be called His Royal Highness after it was confirmed he will face a civil sex case trial after a US judge dismissed a motion by Andrew’s legal team to have the lawsuit thrown out.
Royal patronages are a key part of the Royal Family and a way of them offering services and support to charities, military associations and public service organisations.
Virginia Giuffre is suing the Duke of York for alleged sexual assault when she was a teenager.
She claims she was trafficked by disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17 and a minor under US law.
US judge Lewis Kaplan refused to dismiss the case after hearing cases from lawyers of both the Duke and Virginia Giuffre.
The 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 statement from Buckingham Palace regarding The Duke of York: pic.twitter.com/OCeSqzCP38
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) January 13, 2022
READ MORE: Prince Andrew stripped of Royal Patronages — See the full list
READ MORE: What does HRH mean? Explaining the title stripped from Prince Andrew
What is a royal patronage?
When a member of the Royal Family becomes a patron, they act as a representative or supporter to help publicise the group's work.
The Queen and Prince Philip have more than 1,000 patronages between them.
Patrons endorse the organisation's work and help to affirm that it is high quality and reputable.
Patronages tend to reflect the interests of the family member, such as the Duchess of Cambridge supporting several sports institutions: SportsAid, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, The Lawn Tennis Association, and The 1851 Trust.
Charities and organisations can apply for a patron by submitting a request to the Private Secretary.
The request will be passed onto the appropriate member of the Royal Family and extensive research undertaken.
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