Andrew Mountbatten Windsor could be stripped of his honorary rank of vice admiral, the Defence Secretary has said.
Andrew was made a vice admiral on his 55th birthday in 2015 and retained the rank even after giving up his other military positions in 2022.
John Healey told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “We’ve seen Andrew surrender the military positions that he’s had and we’re looking now at the one remaining position he has, which is the honorary vice admiral position and, we’ve got a process underway for that.”
Asked what that process is, he said: “We’re being guided by the King and we’re now looking to remove.”
Mr Healey was also asked if the government would legislate to remove Andrew from the line of succession.
He said that is a “matter for the King” but his personal view is “it’s neither here nor there” as Andrew has lost all other of his royal titles.
Meanwhile Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman, told Trevor Phillips: “Andrew’s 8th in line to succession of the monarchy. Parliament’s got many better things to do than to legislate for something that will never happen.”
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The King’s brother was stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles by the monarch over his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday.
Now simply known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, he will move from Royal Lodge to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk – with his future accommodation to be privately funded by the monarch.
Earlier in October, it was announced Andrew had agreed to stop using his titles but would remain a prince and retain his dukedom ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Virginia Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, has claimed that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Andrew has always denied the allegations.
Ms Giuffre’s family hailed the King’s decision to remove Andrew’s titles, saying: “An ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage”.
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Pressure is now building on Andrew to give evidence before a powerful US Congressional committee.
The House Oversight Committee is investigating the Epstein affair, and several of its members have invited Andrew to come and give evidence, presenting it as an opportunity to clear his name.
American lawyer Spencer Kuvin, who has represented nine alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, told Sky News: “Andrew should step forward, be a man, subject himself to authorities here in the US and questioning by the Congress to talk about his time with Jeffrey Epstein.”
