Prince Andrew to defend sexual assault case as a ‘private citizen’ after Queen Elizabeth strips him of titles

Prince Andrew has been stripped of his military titles and will defend a civil sexual assault as a “private citizen,” Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday.

With the Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronage. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.” Andrew will no longer be known as His Royal Highness.

The move came after more than 150 veterans and serving members of the armed forces asked the queen to strip her second son of his military titles, saying he had failed to live up to the “very highest standards of probity, honesty and honorable conduct” that are expected of British officers.

“We understand that he is your son, but we write to you in your capacity as head of state and as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force,” they wrote in a letter released by Republic, a pressure group that campaigns for an end to the monarchy.

“These steps could have been taken at any time in the past eleven years. Please do not leave it any longer.”

Andrew served in the Royal Navy for two decades, including as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War. The honorary military roles he lost included several overseas ones, such as his title as colonel-in-chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment.