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Prince Andrew (September 2019): Resigned from public office in November of that year
Photo: JOHN THYS / AFP
More than 150 veterans have signed an open letter asking Britain's Queen Elizabeth II to revoke his military titles from her son Prince Andrew for connections to multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged abuse network.
"We are extremely dismayed and angry that Prince Andrew is still a member of the armed forces and continues to hold military titles, positions and ranks, including that of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy," the letter said. "Officers of the British military are obliged to the highest standards of honesty, honesty and honorable behavior." Prince Andrew, who is threatened with civil litigation because of allegations of abuse in the USA, did not meet these standards.
"If this were any other senior military officer, it would be inconceivable that he would still be in office," the letter went on to say. The Queen is therefore being asked to withdraw all remaining military titles and ranks from her second eldest son. "We understand that he is your son, but we are writing to you in your role as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces." These steps could have happened a long time ago, but shouldn't be delayed any longer.
A trial against Prince Andrew has come a little closer with the decision of a court in New York on Wednesday: The judge rejected the objections of Andrew's lawyers who wanted to nip the lawsuit in the bud. The American Virgina Giuffre accuses the prince of having sexually abused her several times around 20 years ago as a 17-year-old. Accordingly, it was brokered by the now deceased US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew denies the allegations.
Most recently, a previously secret agreement between Giuffres and Epstein was made public in 2009.
In it, the two had agreed that Giuffre should not accuse anyone from Epstein's environment who could be considered a "potential defendant".
Prince Andrew's lawyers then argued that the deal would save their clients from legal action.
However, the responsible district judge decided differently.
"Regardless of the outcome of the Virginia Giuffre civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew, his position in the British armed forces is now untenable," the veterans' letter said.
The Queen's son resigned from his public duties as a member of the Royal Family after the allegations became known, but has so far retained the military title.
bbr / dpa / Reuters