ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERS
Updated:

The United Kingdom's Prince Andrew has been stripped of military affiliations and royal patronages, the royal family announced on Thursday Evening.

The stripping of the honors of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was done with the approval of the Queen, according to a royal communique.

A royal source said Andrew would no longer use the title 'His Royal Highness’ in any official capacity and his other roles would be distributed among other members of the Royal family. They would not return to Prince Andrew.

Prince Andrew (L) Jeffrey Epstein (R).
Prince Andrew (L) Jeffrey Epstein (R). (credit: REUTERS)


A day after the decision, on Thursday, more than
150 veterans
signed an open letter calling for Queen Elizabeth to strip her second son of his military titles over his relationship with disgraced late US financier Jeffrey Epstein.


"We are particularly upset and angry that Prince Andrew remains a member of the armed forces and continues to hold military titles, positions and ranks, including that of Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy," the letter said.


"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 dishonorably discharged."


Andrew has denied Giuffre's accusations that he forced her to have sex more than two decades ago at a London home of former Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and abused her at two Epstein properties.


Ghislaine Maxwell
was found guilty by a US jury on December 30 of helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls, sealing a remarkable fall from grace for the British socialite.


Giuffre did not testify at Maxwell's trial. In 2009, Giuffre and Epstein had a civil settlement. Judge Kaplan said that it could not yet be decided if the settlement  "clearly and unambiguously" shielded Andrew from her lawsuit.