Prince Andrew should no longer be known as the Duke of York, a leading councillor said today (Thursday).
It follows news that the Queen had stripped Prince Andrew of his honorary military roles and he gave up his HRH style in a dramatic fallout from his civil sex case.
The move comes after the lawsuit against him took a major step forward on Wednesday when a judge threw out the duke’s motion to dismiss the sexual assault case and ruled it can go to trial.
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Councillor Darryl Smalley, executive member for culture, leisure and communities at the City of York Council, has now called for the Duke of York title to be urgently removed.
Prince Andrew became the duke, the title traditionally carried by the British monarch’s second son and held for life, when he married Sarah Ferguson in 1986.
Coun Smalley said: “York’s unique connection to the crown and the monarch is an important part of our city’s legacy, history and a great source of pride.
“No one is above the law and all allegations should rightly be fully investigated, particularly following the recent distressing court cases. We stand with all victims, whose harrowing stories have shocked us all in recent months.
“Whilst Prince Andrew remains innocent until proven guilty, Buckingham Palace and the Government must consider the implications of these troubling allegations moving forward.
“Having been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the Queen, he should also now relinquish his title as Duke of York.”
And York Central’s Labour MP agrees. Tonight, she tweeted:
Major blow
The Queen’s decision, announced today, represents the duke’s complete removal from official royal life, and an attempt to distance the royal family from Andrew, who was once second in line to the throne as the spare to the heir, in the year of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The development is a major blow for the duke who is facing a court showdown after a judge ruled on Wednesday that Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against him could go ahead.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Thursday: “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.”
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Here is the list of the 12 honorary military roles which the Duke of York has returned to the Queen:
British military affiliations
– 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, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
– Deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeth’s Own)
– Colonel-in-chief of the Yorkshire Regiment
Overseas honorary military roles
– Colonel-in-chief of the Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment)
– 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)
– Colonel-in-chief of the Princess Louise Fusiliers (in Nova Scotia, Canada)