Fresh questions over Andrew's role in royal family as Harry and Meghan lose HRH titles

Stephanie Cockroft19 January 2020

Fresh questions have been raised over the Duke of York's ongoing role in the royal family after it was announced that Harry and Meghan would lose their HRH titles .

The Sussexes announced on Saturday that they will stop carrying out royal duties from the spring, no longer use HRH and will repay the taxpayers’ millions spent on their Berkshire home.

But the Duke of York, who stepped down from royal duties in November following his disastrous Newsnight interview over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has so-far kept his HRH title.

On Sunday, the royal accompanied his mother, the Queen, to church in Norfolk, in a visible show of support following a turbulent few weeks for the royal family.

Prince Andrew stepped back from royal duties last year
REUTERS

It is one of the first times he has been seen in public since he stepped down.

Andrew is facing changes to his security in the wake of Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave the monarchy and split their time between the UK and Canada.

As reported in the Evening Standard , the Home Office is recommending a major downgrade of security for the Queen’s second son after a Scotland Yard review.

Andrew was with his mother this morning in a strong show of support after a turbulent few weeks
PA

Harry and Meghan, like Andrew, have personal protection officers from the Metropolitan Police, paid for by taxpayers.

But the change in roles for the Sussexes, relocation and removal of public funds, meant their security and its funding formed part of the crisis talks.

After the allegations first surfaced in August, Andrew’s TV interview sealed his fate when he was accused of lacking empathy for Epstein’s victims and of failing to show regret over his friendship with the disgraced financier.

Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, gave an interview to BBC Panorama and said she was left “horrified and ashamed” after an alleged sexual encounter with Andrew in London in 2001.

Since the interview, the duke has resigned a large number of his major patronages.

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