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For those who weren’t sure if and when it would happen, the time has come. Prince Andrew, who has been accused of having sex with Virginia Giuffre when she was underage and trafficked by convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was stripped of his remaining royal affiliations by Queen Elizabeth II.

Here’s more on that and what it means for Andrew now.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince Andrew denied knowing his accuser in ‘car crash’ interview

In November 2019, Prince Andrew confronted a looming cloud over him when he did a televised interview with the BBC to discuss his association with Epstein. In his conversation with journalist Emily Maitlis, the queen’s second-oldest son denied accusations that he had sex with Giuffre when she was a minor.

“It didn’t happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened,” Andrew said. “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”

The interview was seen as a disaster because the duke did not come off as believable and showed no empathy for any of the women allegedly trafficked by his former friend. The palace garnered so much backlash that the prince was left with no choice but to step down from his royal duties.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew attend church together
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew attend church together | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth strips military titles and royal patronages

Now, after the ruling that the civil case against him will move forward, Andrew’s mother was left with no choice but to take away his military affiliations and patronages.

Buckingham Palace released a statement that read: “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 of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”

Moreover, Reuters reported that Andrew will no longer use his HRH style and that is something the queen may not have had any say in. Royal expert Anglea Levin previously explained that it’s believed the decision of whether Prince Andrew would lose “His Royal Highness” title depended on a vote by parliament. “What is interesting the HRH. I don’t think that is in the queen’s jurisdiction,” Levin said (per Express). “That has to be decided by parliament.”

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Civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew will proceed

This news comes after Judge Lewis A. Caplan ruled that the civil case against the prince can proceed to trial following attempts by Andrew’s lawyers tried to get it dismissed per a previously unsealed deal reached between Epstein and Giuffre.

The judge released a 12-page document that revealed Giuffre received a $500,000 payout from Epstein’s estate. Under the terms of the settlement, Giuffre agreed to “release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge” Epstein and “any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant.” Andrew’s attorneys had argued that the deal released him from liability.

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