Prince Andrew’s official Twitter account, @TheDukeofYork, has been deleted. The development takes place days after the 61-year-old was stripped of his royal patronages and charities and amid allegations that he sexually abused a teenage girl trafficked by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein threatened to taint the House of Windsor.
The @TheDukeofYork Twitter page was tagged in posts by the Royal Family’s official handle. However, now visitors can see a blank page with a ‘this account doesn’t exist’ message on the handle. The bio on the page used to read “The Official Twitter Account for The Duke of York.” The tweets were signed off with ‘AY’, PA Media news agency reports.
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An account on YouTube is also no longer available, PA Media reports.
His Instagram account, @hrhthedukeofyork, also shows ‘Sorry, this page isn’t available’.
The official website of the Buckingham Palace has been updated and are clear indication that the Royal Family has distanced themselves with Prince Andrew.
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“Changes have been made to reflect the recent statement from Buckingham Palace regarding The Duke of York,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement to CNN.
“Prior to stepping back from public life, The Duke of York undertook a wide range of public work, with a strong economic and business focus,” a statement on Prince Andrew’s page now reads.
The website update, in the ‘Supporting the Queen’ section, shows his duties in past tense.
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“An important part of The Duke of York’s role was to support The Queen’s work as Head of State. He did this through representing Her Majesty at events and visits in the UK and abroad; receiving Heads of State and Government officials, and attending state and ceremonial occasions,” it states.
Recently released documents show that the prince’s legal team is seeking witness accounts from her husband, Robert Giuffre, and her psychologist, Judith Lightfoot, as part of the civil case filed in the U.S.
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Giuffre’s lawyers, meanwhile, are seeking witness accounts from the prince’s former assistant and a woman who claims to have seen him at a London nightclub with her during the time in question.
The lawsuit cleared a hurdle after a judge last week refused Andrew’s request to have it dismissed.
With inputs from the Associated Press