Prince Andrew has lost his final remaining military title, Vice-Admiral, due to his association with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. This decision was made by the Defence Council and has royal approval, with King Charles reportedly agreeing to the removal of the rank. Andrew will now revert to the rank of Commander (Retired) Royal Navy, the rank he held upon retiring from service.
This action marks the latest in a series of significant blows to Andrew's reputation and public standing, following the earlier stripping of other titles and his removal from royal Christmas celebrations. The loss of the Vice-Admiral rank, which he retained due to his military service despite giving up other honors in 2022 after Virginia Giuffre filed a civil case against him, is considered a "giant blow" by royal commentators, particularly as Andrew identifies strongly with the Armed Forces. This development occurs shortly after the Metropolitan Police closed their investigation into him. Andrew has consistently denied all allegations made by Giuffre, with whom he settled the civil case out of court.