Prince Andrew's fall from grace complete as monarchy cuts him loose

"This is the outcome that, ultimately, King Charles and the Prince of Wales would have hoped for: Andrew, the subject of so many toxic headlines unhelpful to the royal family and institution of monarchy, finally doing the honourable thing. It has been six long years since his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis precipitated the start of this very public fall from grace. Its immediate aftermath saw him step back from public duties for the foreseeable future. His HRH style was put in abeyance, and he was stripped of all his military and charity patronages."

"Behind the walls of Buckingham Palace, it has been decided, enough is enough. Andrew's acceptance of his fate comes on the eve of the posthumous publication of Giuffre's memoir, due out next week, exclusive extracts from which have been published by the Guardian this week. More unwelcome coverage was, perhaps, inevitable. Certainly palace aides would have feared so. Charles is due to make a historic visit to the Holy See next week, when he will become the first English monarch since Henry VIII split with Rome in 1534"

Prince Andrew has agreed to relinquish use of his royal titles and step back from public duties, completing a fall from grace that began after his 2019 Newsnight interview. His HRH style was put in abeyance and he lost all military and charity patronages. He had retained his dukedom and other titles but will no longer use them. He continues to deny allegations and maintains he did not have sex with Virginia Giuffre, who died in April aged 41; he previously paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case. The palace acted to limit further reputational damage ahead of a forthcoming memoir and King Charles's Holy See visit.

Read at www.theguardian.com