Buckingham Palace has announced today, January 13, that all of the military titles and royal patronages enjoyed by Prince Andrew have been withdrawn and returned to the Queen. The Duke of York will also have to stop using the official title of Royal Highness, a source close to the British Royal Family informed the BBC.
Buckingham 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’s military titles which have been returned to the Queen are: Colonel of the Grenadier Guards; 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.
He also had several overseas honorary roles, including: Colonel-in-chief of the Queen’s York Rangers; Colonel-in-chief of The Royal Highland Fusiliers Of Canada; Colonel-in-chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (The Duke of York’s Own); and Colonel-in-chief of the Princess Louise Fusiliers (in Nova Scotia, Canada).
The Ministry of Defence said it would not be commenting.
All of the duke’s roles will be given to other Royal Family members, the source added.
Queen Elizabeth II ‘s son is facing a civil case in the United States for sexual assault, and he has now voluntarily resigned from all his honorary positions.
“The Duke of York will no longer perform any public function and will defend himself in the court case as a private citizen,” the palace said in a brief statement.
