Former prince Andrew is due to be stripped of his last remaining military position as part of King Charles’ decision to remove his brother from public life, the defence minister of the United Kingdom says.
Defence Secretary John Healey told BBC television that moves were underway to take away Andrew’s position as a vice admiral in the UK navy and that Charles had “indicated that’s what he wishes”.
The King last week stripped his younger brother – now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – of his title of prince and evicted him from his mansion in a bid to prevent further damage to the royal family’s reputation over Andrew’s ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Healey said his department was “working to remove” the rank, which Andrew was awarded on his 55th birthday in 2015.
“This is a move that’s right, it’s a move the King has indicated we should take and we’re working on that at the moment,” Healey said.
Andrew kept his rank as a vice admiral in 2022 when he gave up his other military positions.
Healey would not comment on whether Andrew would be able to keep his medals, including the campaign medal he received for his service in the Falklands War, but said the Ministry of Defence would be “guided by the decisions the King makes”.
Andrew has been associated with the royal navy since 1979, when he began officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.
He subsequently served as a helicopter pilot and was part of the task force deployed to retake the Falklands following the Argentinian invasion in 1982.
with PA
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