Prince Andrew must have known what to expect. When he drove to Windsor Castle for the crisis talks on Wednesday evening, he took his lawyer with him. According to witness reports, he then had to wait in the car outside the gate. When Andrew returned to the car, he could only report what the family had decided: he must give up most of his military titles and honorary degrees - only the vice admiral remains. All patronages have also been lost. He was relieved of his royal duties last year. Privately, his lawyer and his driver can continue to address him as "Your Royal Highness", officially Andrew is no longer allowed to use the title. The prince, it said in a brutally brief statement from Buckingham Palace, would defend himself in court as a "private citizen".

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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To the last, the Queen had hoped to spare Andrew and the family this humiliation.

But when it became clear on Wednesday that the New York sex abuse trial would take its course, Elizabeth II was left with no choice.

"It's about the survival of the institution at all costs," a palace official was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

Earlier, army veterans had appealed to the Queen to strip Andrew of his military titles.

His behavior does not meet high military standards and would not be tolerated in an ordinary soldier.

The distancing follows a familiar pattern

The distancing followed the pattern used in the Sussexes' case. Harry was also stripped of his military titles, and he is no longer allowed to use the title “Your Royal Highness”, which is so important in court circles. The institution can now "justifiably claim that it is not involved," the palace official said. "It was a ruthless and swift decision that may have been recommended by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge and approved by the Queen." The decision is said to have been particularly painful for Elizabeth II, who has a very close relationship with her said of her second-born son.

Andrew could have to answer for himself as early as autumn. The American Virginia Giuffre accuses the prince of having forced her to have sex three times in 2001; she was 17 at the time. Andrew was introduced to her by Jeffrey Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. The abuse took place in their homes. Epstein, a wealthy investment banker, was convicted of sex offenses in 2019 and later found dead in his jail cell. Maxwell was convicted of trafficking a minor for abuse in December; she faces up to 65 years in prison. Another process is in progress.

Andrew vehemently denies the allegations.

His lawyers have been trying to persuade the New York judge to drop Giuffre's claim for damages for the past few weeks.

They cited a settlement that Giuffre – then still using her maiden name Robinson – had agreed with Epstein in 2009.

In it, she pledged not to sue Epstein and his accomplices and received $500,000 for doing so.

That didn't convince the judge.

Lawyers see Andrew full of bad options

Giuffre was pleased. Her goal has always been to show "that the rich and powerful are not above the law." Lawyers see Andrew full of bad options. He could try to get Giuffre to drop the lawsuit with an out-of-court settlement. Her lawyer, while emphasizing to the BBC this week that Giuffre is seeking litigation, said a financial settlement should never be ruled out. Experts estimate the required sum at five to ten million pounds. To have them available should the need arise, Andrew has sold his £17million chalet in the French Alps, which he bought years ago, to an agent. Should such an agreement be reached, Andrew would have to live with the suspicion of having bought his way out of a debt.

Should he try to clear his name in court, or Giuffre insists on the trial, Andrew and his family could face a difficult day. Giuffre's lawyers have said they will not only question Andrew, but also his former wife Sarah and daughters Eugenie and Beatrice. The statements would probably be recorded on video and later played in the courtroom. Andrew cannot be compelled to testify in a foreign civil court proceeding and would have the option to let the court reach a decision without his involvement. But even that would probably not do much good for his reputation.

Calls grew louder on Friday to also strip Andrew of the title Duke of York.

The member of parliament for the constituency, Rachael Maskell, described it as no longer tenable that the prince adorned himself with the name of the city even a day longer.