At his mother’s memorial last night in Edinburgh, Prince Andrew was not permitted to salute while donning his military uniform.
In stark contrast to his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, who attended the customary Vigil of the Princes at St. Giles Cathedral wearing their military uniforms, the Duke of York arrived for yesterday’s service in a suit.
It served as a public reprimand for the third child of the Queen and a reminder of his diminished standing after the Firm’s decision to revoke his military titles and exclude him from public life because of his associations with infamous child molester Jeffrey Epstein.
He has been the target of several claims in recent years from one of Epstein’s “sex slaves,” who claimed the king had molested her when she was a teenager under American law.
This resulted in a shocking US lawsuit and an out-of-court settlement for millions of pounds, despite the Duke of York’s repeated denials of the charges.
Andrew lost his HRH designation as a result, and all of his honorary military ranks, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, were taken away.
And yesterday, when his siblings arrived in their uniforms to stand guard over the coffin of their mother, Andrew was left with nothing but a suit and his medals.
Members of the royal family stand at a Service of Prayer and Reflection for the life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh today
Prince Andrew was not permitted to wear his military uniform at the vigil for his mother today. Here he is pictured speaking to his elder brother, King Charles (right) outside St Giles Cathedral
Princess Anne (left) and Prince Edward (right) attended the vigil in full military uniform, while Andrew (centre back) was dressed in a suit
The Duke of York kept his eyes closed for a period of time during the 10-minute vigil, while the Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex had their eyes fixed towards the floor. The King – his eyes moistening – kept his hands joined and also looked towards the floor as members of the public filed past.
The King and his family stood alongside four suited members of the Royal Company of Archers, who were standing guard dressed in long-feathered hats and armed with arrows and quivers.
Members of the public – who have been filing past the coffin in their thousands throughout the afternoon – were briefly held back to allow the royals to take their place.
However, they continued to file past once the vigil began, offering them an extraordinary perspective on the historic moment.
A number of members of the public bowed as they passed the King, with others walking solemnly by with heads down.
Charles wore the Prince Charles Edward Stuart tartan and white heather in his lappelle from Balmoral, while Anne and Edward appeared in military uniform.
However, Andrew – despite having served in the Falklands War – wore only a morning suit, having been banned from wearing uniform on public occasions following his exile from public life amid the fallout from his role in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
The Duke of York will only be permitted to appear in military dress during a second Vigil of the Princes in Westminster Hall later this week.
This is in contrast to Prince Harry who will not be allowed to wear his military uniform at the same event, it is being reported.
Meghan Markle’s friend and preferred journalist Omid Scobie claimed that the Duke of Sussex – who has also seen military action by serving two tours of Afghanistan – has been banned from wearing his uniform at all ceremonial events during mourning for Her Majesty.
‘I understand that, unlike Prince Andrew, Prince Harry will NOT be allowed to wear uniform at the final vigil in Westminster Hall. No doubt a huge blow for the Duke of Sussex, who served for 10 years and this morning spoke of the Queen being his ”commander-in-chief”’, he tweeted yesterday.
Harry and Meghan were also stripped of their titles after they quit royal duties and left the UK for California.
The ensuing Megxit saga, which has seen the Duke and Duchess of Sussex make a series of astonishing allegations against The Firm including claims of racism against Meghan and her unborn son Archie by an unnamed senior royal, has sparked a civil war in the House of Windsor and plunged the monarchy into one of its most severe crises.
King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, who was not in military uniform but whose medals were pinned to his morning suit, walk behind the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Edinburgh
The disgraced Duke of York, a veteran of the Falklands War who was sent into exile due to the aftermath from his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein affair, will be allowed to wear military colors if he attends the ceremonial event on Wednesday, according to royal insiders. Omid Scobie, a close friend and favorite journalist of Meghan Markle, said that the Duke of Sussex, who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and had experience in combat, has been forbidden from donning his uniform at any formal engagements while Her Majesty is mourned.
The Duke of York was given a brief respite this week, but King Charles is anticipated to oppose any efforts by his brother to resume his royal responsibilities.
His participation in the period of national grief after the passing of Her Majesty at Balmoral Castle last Thursday is being done in an effort by the royal family to present a unified face.
Anne, Andrew, Edward, and their kids congratulated the well-wishers who had gathered outside the gates of Balmoral on Saturday as Charles was sworn in as King.
He was spotted holding his daughter Princess Eugenie and reciting condolences to his late mother.
And the 62-year-old joined other family members yesterday in Edinburgh for the arrival of the Queen’s coffin, reportedly putting an end to his seeming exile from public life.
As the cortege arrived, the Duke of York, his sister Princess Anne, and brother Prince Edward were present at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the Scottish capital.
Andrew is said to have been very close to his late mother and to have spent a lot of time with her recently.
He was seen walking arm in arm with his mother at the burial of his late father, Prince Phillip, and has often been referred to as the Queen’s “favorite son.”
Princess Beatrice bends down with her father the Duke of York to look at tributes and flowers left outside Balmoral Castle in Ballater on September 10
Prince Andrew, Duke of York views the flowers left by mourners outside Balmoral Castle on September 10
He has rarely been seen in public since his association with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein became public knowledge, with other members of the family railing against his involvement in royal functions.
His appearance at the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial was his first appearance after settling a civil sex abuse case with Virginia Giuffre, with no admission of liability.
He was not seen at the summer’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations due to Covid.
Over the weekend a palace source was quoted as saying it would be ‘out of the question’ for him not to be involved when the royal family is trying to present a united front.
But this temporary reprieve is not set to become permanent, with both King Charles and Prince William making it clear that Andrew will not play any formal role in their reigns.
‘Once it is all over, he will be expected to retreat back to a life lived well under the royal radar,’ the Telegraph reported.
