Prince Andrew leaves all social media platforms amid sexual assault lawsuits

Queen Elizabeth II’s second son Prince Andrew has deactivated his social media accounts, users said Wednesday, as he faces civil case in the US for sexual assault.

Andrew’s official Twitter account @TheDukeOfYork now opens with a message saying “This account doesn’t exist”. His YouTube account also comes up with an error message and a picture of a monkey.

This follows announcements last week that the prince has ceased using his HRH, or His Royal Highness, title, and has also given up honorary military titles bestowed by the Queen. The move effectively removes him from official royal life.

He did not appear in the official wedding photographs when his daughter Beatrice got married in 2020.

The York Racecourse in northern England has announced it is renaming an event called The Duke of York Stakes, despite the fact that this refers to an earlier bearer of the title.

A police station in Devon in southern England has removed a plaque saying it was opened by the Duke of York, citing a complaint from a member of the public, the BBC reported this week.

Armed forces minister James Heappey on Wednesday said Andrew had kept “horrifically ill-advised” company, and the US case would overshadow celebrations later this year for his mother’s 70 years on the throne.

The decision to strip former Royal Navy helicopter pilot Andrew of his honourary military titles was reportedly made by the Queen and senior members of the royal family.

His nephew Prince William, who is second-in-line for the throne, was asked by a reporter on Wednesday if he supported his uncle, during a visit to a London Museum. William gave no response. William’s father, Prince Charles, ignored a similar question last week.