Andrew will defend himself in the process as a private citizen, Buckingham Palace in London said on Thursday. “With the consent and consent of the Queen, the Duke of York’s military ranks and royal patronage have been returned to the Queen,” the statement said.
Plaintiff Virginia Giuffre accuses Andrew in a civil lawsuit in the United States of repeatedly abusing her when she was a minor. She claims to have previously been a victim of an abuse ring set up by US multi-millionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his ex-partner Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell was recently found guilty of several counts in a US criminal case and faces a long prison sentence. Epstein took his own life while in custody in 2019. Andrew categorically denies all allegations.
The lawyers of the 61-year-old prince had hoped until recently to be able to nip the lawsuit in the bud. But the judge of the New York court rejected their objections on Wednesday. If an out-of-court settlement is not reached, Andrew will face a lawsuit.
More than 150 British military veterans issued an open letter on Thursday calling on the Queen to relieve Prince Andrew of his military roles because he had failed to meet the high standards of honorable behavior associated with the ranks. “If this were any other senior military officer, there is no question that he would still be in office,” the letter said.
Source: Nachrichten
