Grenadier Guards officers ‘are uncomfortable having to drink to the health of Prince Andrew at the end of regimental dinners’ it is revealed – as the first veteran goes on the record saying he should step down as regiment’s Colonel ahead of key court battle in New York.
Prince Andrew (61), inherited the ceremonial position of colonel in the regiment’s regiment from his father the Duke of Edinburgh in 2017.
He is now facing renewed pressure to give up his military titles after his former friend Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of child sex-trafficking for her partner sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, The Times reports.
His ceremonial title of colonel of Grenadier Guards in 2017, which Prince Andrew, at 61, took from his father, The Duke of Edinburgh
Veteran Julian Perreira said that Prince Andrew would tarnish the regiment’s proud history.
In his capacity as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards the Duke of York laid a wreath at the Charles II Memorial in Bruges, 2019.
Former lance sergeant and three-time veteran of Afghanistan, Julian Perreira said: ‘Being allowed to retain his role as colonel of the Grenadier Guards and other military titles, Prince Andrew will put a stain on the regiment’s proud history and will devalue the hard work of past and future generations of Grenadiers.
“He must immediately step down.”
This is just the latest setback for Duke of York. Virginia Roberts (38), has long denied that Roberts was made to sex with her on 3 occasions during 2001, when she was a teenage Epstein sex slave.
Tomorrow will mark the beginning of Ms Roberts civil case against Epstein. A New York court will declare confidential the 2009 agreement between Epstein, the victim and Epstein.
Prince Andrew’s lawyers hope that Ms Roberts’ agreement with Epstein can block her civil case, because they insist it protects him from litigation. Federal judges declared that there is no reason to keep the agreement private.
A total of nine military titles were held by the duke who served the Falklands in 1982.
Prince Andrew’s lawyers believe that Virginia Roberts and Jeffrey Epstein’s 2009 settlement – which will be unsealed tomorrow morning – can block further litigation
The Queen apparently made it clear that in August she desired the Duke of York continue to be the colonel of Grenadier Guards.
Retired colonel Richard Kemp said: ‘If she decides it would be right for Andrew to forfeit his military titles she will do so, putting her duty to the forces above any family considerations or personal views.’
According to reports, in August the Queen reportedly ‘let it all be known’ that her wish was for the Duke and Duchess of York, as they continue their duties of colonel in the Grenadier Guards.
The Sunday Times reports that the royal court discussed plans to prevent the prince from using his royal title in the event he loses Ms Roberts’ civil suit.
A similar move could also cause the Prince to be disconnected from various charitable organizations and result in an “internal exile”.
The prince will attempt to make his effort on Friday Federal Judge rejected Ms Roberts’ request to stop her lawsuit on grounds she was no longer living in America.
In a written oration, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ordered the lawyers of the prince to turn over the documents in relation to the timetable that was established in Ms Roberts’ lawsuit.
According to her, the prince abused her on numerous occasions in 2001. She was also being sexually abused at the time by Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew Brettler, the prince’s attorney called this lawsuit “baseless.”