Veterans ask Queen to strip Prince Andrew of honorary military titles

The Queen has been asked by more than 150 military veterans to strip Prince Andrew of his honorary military roles amid what they described as their “upset and anger.”

Writing to her in her capacity as head of state and commander-in-chief of the army, navy and air force, an open letter from former members of each of the services said that it was “untenable” for the Duke of York to retain his position.

“Were this any other senior military officer it is inconceivable that he would still be in post,” they say in a letter sent on the day after a Manhattan judge rejected Prince Andrew’s efforts to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit against him. The duke denies the allegations against him.

Buckingham Palace, where a spokesperson said that it had no comment on the letter, has said previously that the duke’s military appointments are in abeyance after he stepped down from public duties in 2019.

But he still retains the roles, leaving eight British regiments, including the Grenadier Guards, where he has held the title of colonel, in limbo more than two years on.

His other British honorary military titles are: 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; deputy colonel-in-chief of the Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own) and royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The veterans add in their letter, which was partly coordinated by the campaign group Republic: “Officers of the British armed forces must adhere to the very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct.

“These are standards which Prince Andrew has fallen well short of. It is hard not to see, when senior officers are reportedly describing him as ‘toxic’, that he has brought the services he is associated with into disrepute.

“We are therefore asking that you take immediate steps to strip Prince Andrew of all his military ranks and titles and, if necessary, that he be dishonourably discharged.”

The letter concludes with a pointed and personal request to the Queen, who has long been reported to regard Andrew as her “favourite” son. It states: “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. These steps could have been taken at any time in the past 11 years. Please do not leave it any longer.”

Judge Lewis Kaplan’s Wednesday ruling means that Prince Andrew will remain embroiled in lengthy – and embarrassing – legal proceedings for the foreseeable future.

source: theguardian.com