Queen Elizabeth sensationally stripped Prince Andrew of all his military titles and patronages last Thursday, ahead of his appearance in an NYC court.
The Duke, 61, can no longer be styled as His Royal Highness following the Monarch’s decision to have him appear in court as any average citizen. But according to a royal expert, Andrew could regain his titles. Here’s how the Duke plans to do so.
Andrew’s Close Associate Claims the Duke Could Get Back His Titles if He Wins the Sexual Assault Case
The Duke of York is currently facing a sexual assault lawsuit filed in the U.S. by one of the girls recruited by late billionaire Epstein to service his wealthy friends. Giuffre, now 38 and mother to three children, filed the civil case in NYC, claiming that she was forced to have sex with the Prince three times, all when she was under the age of 17.
Following Judge Lewis Kaplan’s ruling to let the lawsuit continue, Andrew’s legal team vowed to fight Giuffre’s claims until the bitter end.
On Jan. 22, the Duke was spotted driving away from Royal Lodge as he prepares to appear in court and defend himself against Giuffre’s allegations. So far, the Duke has denied any wrong-doings and insists he has no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre.
Andrew’s ex Sarah Ferguson was in the passenger seat as they drove through Windsor Estate, with their dog in the back.
The pair’s outing comes just a few days after it began to circulate that Andrew could lose his round-the-clock police protection as early as next month after he was forced to give up his patronages.
Sources are saying that a full review of his security is being carried out by Scotland Yard and the Home office following what could be a permanent step-down for the Prince regarding his royal duties.
In light of the events, a source close to the Prince claimed that the Duke could possibly have his titles and royal patronages restored if he wins the case against him whilst his mother, the Queen, remains alive. However, the source added that it would be less likely to happen if Charles ascends the throne.
Speaking to The Times, the source noted that he couldn’t see any reason why Andrew couldn’t return to his former roles, especially if he was able to defeat Giuffre’s claims, which have been plaguing him since 2015.
The Duke stepped down from his royal duties in 2019 following what was seen as a terrible choice to defend himself against the allegations in a Newsnight interview. It was said at the time that he plans to return to his royal duties, though the possibility of that happening is starting to wear thin, especially in light of his new “royal exile”.
Anonymous Source Calls Media Speculations about Andrew Not Returning as a Working Royal “Ill-informed”
While there have been various speculations stating that the Duke would likely fade away from public life, especially after he recently deleted his official social media accounts, an anonymous friend of the Duke insisted that it’s not a done deal.
“I think if the Queen is still alive and his name is cleared I would say that at that point what reason would there be for him to be barred from taking part in royal duties?” they told the publication.
“If he’s cleared then the question to ask is why should he not be in a position to take part in royal duties and be HRH again and have his military titles? After all, he has served in the military.”
When asked how it would be different if Charles were king, he replied: “It’s a different decision-maker and different people influencing him and therefore it’s slightly less predictable.”
The source also said that he believes Andrew wants to appear in court rather than settle out of court because he plans to have his name cleared through the right means.
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I can’t imagine Andrew being the winner in this sexual assault case, but it is possible. I just know that I think the Queen would be wiser to distribute the patronages and the title Duke of York to others. I also think that her youngest son should be the recipient of some of the patronages. It seems as though he is always ignored, in spite of the fact that he has not caused the Queen heartache by scandal or divorce. And if Andrew is, indeed, her “favorite son,” then I have just cause to question her decision making.