The British Monarchy has been under the public eye with increasing scrutiny for decades, especially with the outspoken rebellion of now Duke of Sussex Harry and wife Meghan Markle.
Now the Royal Family is dealing with Prince Andrew’s purported sexual crimes.
In response to possible criminal charges, Andrew’s military affiliations and royal patronages are being returned to Queen Elizabeth II at her behest in the wake of his ongoing legal battle with Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
Andrew is currently waiting for a judge to decide whether his rape accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s civil lawsuit will be ditched.
On Thursday, Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement sent to Fox News that the reigning monarch, 95, agreed to accept the returned accolades.
“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,” the statement read. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
It comes after a day after a US judge unequivocally rejected the prince’s bid to have his sex abuse case thrown out, leaving him facing the prospect of being cross-examined for seven hours on camera with embarrassing questions on everything from his sex life and ‘private parts’.
Andrew has been urged to settle out of court with his accuser royal’s accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre ‘for the sake of his mother’, who celebrates her Platinum Jubilee this year. But he could face difficulties given Ms Giuffre is said to be pushing for ‘her day in court’.
Buckingham Palace announced the Queen’s decision in a statement released this afternoon.
‘With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,’ it read. ‘The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.’
A royal source said the issue had been widely discussed with the royal family, making it likely that the Prince of Wales, as well as Andrew, were involved in crisis talks over the matter. The source said the military posts would be redistributed to other members of the royal family.
The Palace said previously that the duke’s military appointments were in abeyance after he stepped down from public duties in 2019. But, prior to today, he still retained the roles, including the position of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest and most emblematic regiments in the British Army.
His other British honorary military titles include: Honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth; Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; Colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps; Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm; Royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers; Deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own); and Royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
It comes after more than 150 veterans joined forces to express their outrage, writing to the Queen to demand Andrew was removed from the honorary military positions.
Accusing the duke of bringing the services he is associated with into disrepute, the 152 former members of the Royal Navy, RAF and Army said that ‘were this any other senior military officer it is inconceivable that he would still be in post’. The Queen is head of the armed forces and honorary military appointments are in her gift. TheDailyMail
This is the right but delayed decision, for the Queen to distance the family from Andrew until his legal problems are resolved.
Written By: Eric Thompson, host of the Eric Thompson Show.
Follow Eric on his website ETTALKSHOW, and social media platforms, MAGABOOK, Twellit & Twitter.
This story syndicated with permission from Eric Thompson – Trending Politics
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