KEY POINTS
  • Prince Andrew of Britain was stripped by his mother Queen Elizabeth II of his military affiliations and royal patronages as he continues fighting a New York lawsuit that accuses him of sexually abusing an underage girl while she was in thrall to sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.
  • The accuser, Virginia Giuffre, claims she had sex with Andrew at the direction of Epstein's procurer, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
  • "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen," Buckingham Palace said.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019 in London, England.

Prince Andrew of Britain was stripped Thursday by his mother Queen Elizabeth II of his military affiliations and royal patronages as he continues fighting a New York lawsuit that accuses him of sexually abusing an underage girl while she was in thrall to sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, who had been a close friend of Epstein, also no longer will use the style "His Royal Highness" in any official capacity, according to a royal source, Reuters reported.