The former Duke of York Will Be Stripped of Honorary Rank, Says Defence Secretary
The former Duke of York will be stripped of his naval title as the monarch seeks to draw a line under the ongoing scandal surrounding his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Stripping of Honors Underway
The former prince will be stripped of his military title of vice-admiral, which he was granted in 2015 and had retained even after surrendering other armed forces roles in 2022.
The defense minister announced on Sunday that ministers were working with the king to remove his naval honours.
"Typically, the government has been guided by the decisions and judgments the king has made. In defence, it's exactly the same," the defense secretary said.
Additional Consequences
Asked whether Mountbatten Windsor could lose his military medals as well, Healey responded that they were "awards recognizing his military career" and continued: "I don't have an update on that, but similar to his vice-admiral rank, we would be guided by the decisions the king makes."
Background Context
Mountbatten Windsor has been facing fresh examination over his relationship with Epstein following the release of late-published recollections by Virginia Giuffre, who states she was forced to have sex with Mountbatten Windsor on multiple instances, including when she was a teenager.
Recently disclosed emails show that the ex-royal contacted Epstein in 2010 after the latter was released from jail on charges of sex trafficking.
In the correspondence made public recently, the disgraced financier suggested that Andrew meet former JP Morgan executive Jes Staley, who was prohibited from the UK banking sector for life in June for deceiving regulators about his connections to Epstein.
Naval Career
Andrew was a member of the navy for over 20 years, including as a aircraft commander during the 1982 conflict. After a civil case was initiated three years ago, he stopped using most of his military titles but retained the rank of vice-admiral.
The navy pension is his sole existing means of official earnings after serving between 1979 and 2001, amounting to twenty thousand pounds annually.
Latest Changes
Buckingham Palace officially declared last week he would lose the titles of royal titles, as well as being required to vacate his home in Windsor and relocate to personal housing in Sandringham.
Palace officials had collaborated with government employees in the Cabinet Office to prevent the decision having to be approved by lawmakers, finally deciding that the king should remove the title entirely using his monarchical authority.
While the removal of honors comes into effect immediately, the ex-royal is not anticipated to vacate Royal Lodge until following the holidays, meaning he will not be present when the family convenes at Sandringham for the festive season.
