Royal Watch

Prince Andrew Will “Disappear From Sight” After Being Stripped of His Royal Titles

The royal family has gone into damage control after a U.S. judge ruled that a lawsuit filed against Prince Andrew by Virginia Giuffre can move forward.
Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Prince Andrew Duke of York Hat Clothing Apparel Elizabeth II and Human
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York attend Royal Ascot 2017 at Ascot Racecourse on June 22, 2017 in Ascot, England. By Chris Jackson/Getty

Prince Andrew will “disappear from sight” and will not be present at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations after being stripped of his military roles and titles on Thursday.

Sources close to Andrew, who is no longer allowed to use his HRH title in any official capacity, will not be representing the queen in any way during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, as the royal family goes into damage control in hopes of protecting the queen and ensuring her spring celebrations are not overshadowed by any more controversy.

News that Andrew is losing his HRH status comes after U.S. district judge Lewis Kaplan ruled that a lawsuit filed by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre can move forward in court despite Andrew’s hopes to have it dismissed.

He now faces the greatest gamble of his life and will either attempt to clear his name via a high-profile trial or attempt to reach an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre, which could reportedly cost him millions of dollars.

Andrew has remained close to the queen ever since he was forced to stand down from royal duties in 2019, following his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, in which he claimed he could not remember meeting Giuffre and refused to apologize for his friendship with convicted sex criminal Epstein or express any remorse for Epstein’s victims.

And while Andrew remains a member of the royal family and will be welcome at royal family events and private and non-official occasions, as of 2019 he no longer represents the queen and does not have any kind of working role or official presence within the family. 

According to a source close to the royal family, the queen’s decision to remove Andrew’s titles will not have been an easy one, but is part of the firm’s necessary strategy to erase Andrew from public life in order to protect the reputation of the monarchy.

“He won’t be at the Jubilee, he is going to disappear from sight,” the source told Vanity Fair. “He knows that he cannot further tarnish the queen’s reputation, and that is very much the view of the family. The way they plan to deal with this is to remove Andrew from official royal life and public view. This has been the queen’s decision, but it is supported by other senior family members.”

It is understood that Prince Charles and Prince William were consulted ahead of Buckingham Palace’s statement on Thursday and fully support the queen’s decision. “With the queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the queen,” the statement read. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.” 

The source added that there was concern among the family for Andrew’s well-being. “He is absolutely devastated and if I was to describe how he is, I would say very shaken. This has come as a huge blow,” the family friend says.

But it is not just Andrew who is stunned by the judge’s decision. Sources close to the queen say that the prospect of Andrew being tried in a civil case in the United States has been incredibly concerning and stressful for Her Majesty.

One aide who has worked with the queen explains, “The queen has a great ability to compartmentalize and deal with problems in a considered and pragmatic way, but this is her beloved son and the decision she has made will be a very sad one for her.”

The possibility of a civil case later this year threatens to overshadow an important year for the royals, as 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. During the year, celebrations will be held throughout the United Kingdom, the commonwealth, and around the world to celebrate this highly anticipated and special anniversary. Although he has indicated he wants to clear his name and is prepared to face a jury, he is facing pressure from palace aides to settle, The Telegraph reported. Giuffre’s lawsuit also suggests she may want her day in court, stating, “It is long past the time for him to be held to account.”

More Great Stories From Vanity Fair 

Camilla: The Controversial Figure Who May Become Queen
— Ghislaine Maxwell’s Guilty Verdict Comes Into Question
Caitríona Balfe’s Celtic Conquest, From Outlander to Belfast
— Can a New Perfume Rekindle Eroticism?
The Queen Is Mourning Two of Her Ladies-in-Waiting
— 21 Wardrobe Winners Inspired by And Just Like That…
— The Life and Death of Rosanne Boyland, a Capitol Rioter
— From the Archive: Princesses Behaving Badly
— Sign up for “The Buyline” to receive a curated list of fashion, books, and beauty buys in one weekly newsletter.