Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has withdrawn all military ranks and royal patronage from her son Prince Andrew, who is being sued for abuse allegations in the United States.
Buckingham Palace in London announced on Thursday that Andrew will defend himself in the process as a private citizen – in deliberately sober and distanced language.
More than 150 military veterans had previously urged the Queen to strip Andrew of his military titles. “Officers in the British military are bound by the highest standards of probity, honesty and honest conduct,” the former senior officials in the Royal Navy and British Army, as well as fighter pilots, wrote in the letter published on Thursday. Andrew, who is facing a civil lawsuit in the US over allegations of abuse, said he failed to meet those standards.
“If this were any other senior military officer, there is no question that he would still be in office,” the letter said. The Queen is therefore urged to strip her second eldest son of all remaining military titles and ranks. “We understand he is your son, but we are writing to you as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.” These steps could have happened a long time ago, but should not be put off any longer. Only hours later, the Queen followed the veterans’ request.
“Our great city deserves better”
A high-ranking councilor from the English city of York also called for action from Andrew, the “Duke of York”. “Now that the Queen has stripped him of his military roles and royal patronage, he should now also relinquish his title of Duke of York,” Liberal Democrat Darryl Smalley of the City of York Council said on Friday. York is proud of its special connection to the crown. Now all allegations made against Andrew would have to be dealt with. “Our great city deserves better,” Smalley tweeted.
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A trial against Prince Andrew has come a step closer with a decision by a court in New York on Wednesday: The judge dismissed the objections of Andrew’s lawyers, who wanted to nip the lawsuit in the bud. The American Virgina Giuffre accuses the prince of sexually abusing her around 20 years ago when she was 17. Accordingly, she was mediated by the now deceased US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew categorically denies the allegations. The Queen’s son has resigned from his public duties as a member of the Royal Family since the allegations became known, but has so far retained his military title.
Millions for an out-of-court settlement
According to experts, only a million payment can save the Queen’s son from a scandalous court case in the abuse scandal. The 61-year-old otherwise has no good options, commented the well-known British media lawyer Mark Stephens on Thursday. “The damage must be limited.”
Stephens estimates that Andrew would have to offer plaintiff Virginia Giuffre £5m to £10m to settle out of court. The obstacle: “Ms. Giuffre will want her day in court.”
This is also made clear by one of the lawyers for the American. “It is very important to Virginia Giuffre that this matter be resolved in a way that brings justice to her and the other victims,” David Boies told the BBC. But he left a back door open for an amicable settlement. The case is considered the most significant lawsuit against a member of the royal family in recent memory.
Money for a comparison would obviously be available. The Queen will probably not give her favorite son a penny from her immense fortune – that would mean a PR disaster. But Andrew has taken precautions, as reported by The Sun newspaper. Accordingly, he wants to sell his chalet in the Swiss alpine town of Verbier and expects revenue of at least 15 million pounds.
“A Bomb in the Heart of the Royal Family”
Andrew has long been a burden to the Queen and the royal family. According to experts, as the proceedings continue, his position will become increasingly untenable. Andrew was done, Royal House expert Phil Dampier told The Sun. He sees no possibility that Andrew – for example as part of the commemoration of the Falklands War 40 years ago, in which he served – will ever appear publicly for the royal family again.
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Media lawyer Stephens told the BBC that Judge Kaplan’s decision “dropped a bombshell in the middle and heart of the royal family” that could trigger a constitutional crisis. “The only thing he can do is take responsibility.”
Legal expert Spencer Kalvin told The Sun a trial could raise highly intimate and humiliating questions. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the case, citing ongoing proceedings.
Andrew was briefly spotted in public for the first time this year on Thursday. The newspapers “Sun” and “Daily Mail” published photos showing the Queen’s son in the back seat of his car in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The 61-year-old seemed lost in thought.
Ironically, in the year of Elizabeth’s 70th accession to the throne, her son is at the center of the worst royal crisis in a long time. “Andrew needs to sort this out for his mother’s sake,” said royal expert Ingrid Seward. (dpa)