Prince Andrew has lost his position as honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth in the process of being stripped of his military titles.
The royal took up the ceremonial role in 1996 following a career in the Navy, where he was a Sea King helicopter co-pilot.
The position of Prince Andrew at RAF Lossiemouth required him to take salutes from personnel during special parades – a role becoming increasingly untenable due to his links to convicted sex offenders Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
The Queen and royal family were coming under increasing pressure to remove the controversial prince amid concerns about embarrassment for serving armed forces personnel and veterans.
More than 150 veterans wrote to the Queen calling for Prince Andrew to be stripped of his ranks and titles in the military.
A joint letter said: “Were this any other senior military officer it is inconceivable that he would still be in post.
“Officers of the British armed forces must adhere to the very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct.
“These are standards which Prince Andrew has fallen well short of.
The Duke of York meets a pilot during his visit to No. 6 Squadron Royal Air Force at @raflossiemouth.
HRH has been Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Lossiemouth since 1996. pic.twitter.com/Ic0JvTGwU6
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 18, 2018
“It is hard not to see, when senior officers are reportedly describing him as ‘toxic’, that he has brought the services he is associated with into disrepute.”
Other military titles held by Prince Andrew included being royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and being commodore-in-chief of the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm.
Prince Andrew was stripped of his titles just a day after a US judge ruled he must face a civil trial amid accusations of sexual assault, which he denies.
The royal had attempted to have the case brought in New York by Virginia Giuffre dismissed.
Andrew stops using HRH style as Queen removes his military roles and patronages
