Prince Andrew has resigned as patron of the York Minster Fund

A major York charity has lost its royal patron, it was revealed today.

Prince Andrew has resigned as patron of the York Minster Fund.

It comes in the wake of his decision to step back from public life.

Trustees of the York Minster Fund issued this statement:

• The Duke of York has been the royal patron of York Minster Fund for 15 years and in this role has been very supportive of our work.

  However following his decision to step back from public life, and recognising that the fund needs an active patron to champion its work, HRH Prince Andrew has decided to resign from this role.

  The trustees of the fund would like to thank the Duke of York for all his work as patron over the years.
  

Stepped out of the limelight

The Duke of York has stepped out of the limelight over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

An attempt to clear his name in a BBC interview backfired, and a number of charities distanced themselves from the prince.

More recently, in a BBC Panorama television interview, Virginia Giuffre said she was procured as a teenage “sex slave” for Epstein, and also slept with Prince Andrew.

The Duke of York vehemently denies the allegations.

The York Minster Fund was set up in 1967 after it was discovered the central tower would collapse without urgent repairs.

Since then it has raised on average £1 million a year to support ongoing conservation and restoration, as well as the cathedral’s work in music, learning and education.

The Duke has been a regular visitor to the Minster to see the work funded by the charity.