Buckingham Palace on Thursday announced that Queen Elizabeth II has stripped Prince Andrew of all his honorary military titles and royal roles in charities and other civic groups. This decision comes amid growing outrage over allegations that he sexually abused a teenage girl supplied to him by financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The palace said in a statement that “with the queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the queen.”

“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen,” the statement added.

Also Read: What are the allegations against Prince Andrew?

The queen is head of the armed forces and honorary military appointments are given by her.

Who are royal patronages?

Royal patronages, in simple terms, refer to roles in charities, military and civic groups that the royals support.

“Royal patronages add status to an organisation, and visits and involvement from a Royal Patron can often bring much needed publicity. For this reason, members of the Royal Family tend to limit their patronages to a manageable number to ensure that they can give each organisation a significant amount of their time,” the Buckingham Palace website states. 

Also Read: UK ramps up preparation for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee year celebration

These patronages reflect the interests of the Royal Family member involved. Kate Middleton, for example, supports mental health and children’s emotional wellbeing. She is the patron of Place2Be, as well as The Art Room and Action on Addiction. 

Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles, on the other hand, is the President of the National Osteoporosis Society. She supports the cause as her mother and grandmother died of the brittle bone disease.

With inputs from Associated Press