Status: 01/13/2022 6:48 p.m.
Prince Andrew faces a civil lawsuit in the United States for sexual abuse. Now the second eldest son of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has lost all military ranks and royal patronage.
Britain’s Prince Andrew has lost all military ranks and royal patronage. This was announced by Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth II’s second son is charged with sexual abuse in connection with the affair surrounding the convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein accused.
“With the consent and consent of the Queen, the Duke of York’s military ranks and royal patronage have been returned to the Queen,” the statement said. Andrew will continue to “hold no public office” and in the event of the allegations against him he will “defend himself as a private citizen”.
Yesterday, Andrew failed in a motion to dismiss the abuse lawsuit against him in the United States. This brings a civil lawsuit against him in the United States closer.
Plaintiff Virginia Giuffre accuses Andrew claimed to have abused her on multiple occasions when she was 17, including at Epstein’s home in New York. She claims to have previously been a victim of one of Epstein and his ex-partner Ghislaine Maxwell built up abuse ring to have become. Epstein “loaned” her to the Royal at the time. Giuffre is now demanding compensation in an undisclosed amount.
Maxwell was recently found guilty of several counts in a US criminal case and faces a long prison sentence. Epstein took his own life while in custody in 2019.
Prince Andrew denies allegations
Prince Andrew has repeatedly and firmly denied Giuffre’s allegations. Due to his previous contacts with Epstein, however, he gave up his royal duties in 2019 and largely withdrew from the public.
The lawyers of the 61-year-old prince had hoped until recently to be able to avert the lawsuit. But the judge of the New York court rejected their objections on Wednesday. If an out-of-court settlement is not reached, Andrew will face a lawsuit.
More than 150 British military veterans had just called on the Queen in an open letter today to relieve Prince Andrew of his roles in the military because he had not lived up to the high standards of honorable behavior associated with the ranks. “If this were any other senior military officer, there is no question that he would still be in office,” the letter said.