Queen removes Andrew's military roles, patronages

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has stripped Prince Andrew of all his honorary military titles and royal roles in charities and other civic groups, Buckingham Palace said Thursday, amid a growing furor over allegations he sexually abused a teenage girl supplied to him by financier Jeffrey Epstein.

More than 150 British navy and army veterans had written to the queen asking her to strip her second son of all his military ranks and titles after a US judge said Wednesday a sex assault lawsuit against the prince could go ahead.

The palace said in a brief statement that “with the queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the queen." Patronages refer to roles in charities, military and civic groups that the royals support.

 Andrew's lawyers have said that the royal never sexually abused or assaulted Giuffre and that he “explicitly denies Giuffre’s false allegations against him.”