Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, now looks set to lose his last military title. He is to be stripped of the honorary rank of vice-admiral after a succession of major catastrophes that have tarnished his public persona and rapport with the armed forces. This decision marks a dramatic turn in how the monarchy is managing allegations regarding the prince. It arrives particularly after mounting allegations regarding his connections to convicted sexual predatory Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew lived a highly distinguished military career of more than two decades. He is proud to have served in the Royal Navy from 1979 through 2001. Notably, he was deployed to the Falklands War in 1982, where he participated in dangerous operations, including serving as a decoy for Exocet missiles. He received honorary rank of vice-admiral in 2015, acknowledging his years of service.
In recent years, Prince Andrew’s military associations have been increasingly called into question. The late Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his military titles and royal patronages in 2021 amid mounting public and media pressure. In 2022, he removed himself even farther from military accolades, taking the bold step of voluntarily returning his honorary appointments and royal patronages. His other titles, including Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, were voluntarily given up during this time.
The decision to strip Prince Andrew of his vice-admiral rank is reportedly being directed by King Charles III and other senior government officials. John Healey, the Shadow Defence Secretary, stated, “In general, the Government’s been guided by the decisions and judgments the King has made.” He continued to stress that “in defence, it’s all the same. Andrew has already given up his honorary military titles. With direction from the King, we are now working towards the King’s last remaining title of vice-admiral to be stripped.
The firestorm around Prince Andrew reached its highest pitch after an ill-fated 2019 Newsnight interview with BBC journalist, Emily Maitlis. During that interview, of course, he was attempting to downplay his connections to Epstein. He lied about his accuser Virginia Giuffre, who claimed he sexually assaulted her when she was a minor. The cultural and political ripples from the interview were substantial, and it humiliated him even more.
Debates on the possible revocation of Prince Andrew’s last remaining military honour are becoming increasingly important. Many are now wondering whether he can ever fully rehabilitate his public image, or if he will forever be a stripped-down, embarrassing split from the royal family.
