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Prince Andrew will be stripped of his honorary military rank as King Charles attempts to draw a line under the ongoing scandal surrounding his connections with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Stripping of Honors In Progress

The former prince is losing his honorary rank of vice-admiral, which he obtained in 2015 and kept even after giving up other armed forces roles in 2022.

The defense minister stated on Sunday that government officials were collaborating with the king to remove his naval honours.

"Typically, the administration follows the decisions and judgments the king has made. Regarding military matters, it's precisely identical," the defense secretary said.

Additional Consequences

When questioned about the former duke could forfeit his service awards as well, Healey responded that they were "medals for his service" and added: "There's no current information on that, but just as with his vice-admiral rank, we would be guided by the decisions the king makes."

Historical Circumstances

Mountbatten Windsor has been facing fresh examination over his ties to Epstein following the release of posthumous memoirs by Virginia Giuffre, who states she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17 years old.

Newly released emails reveal that the former prince contacted Epstein in 2010 after the latter was released from jail on charges of soliciting prostitution.

In the correspondence released on Friday, the convicted sex offender suggested that Andrew meet former JP Morgan executive Jes Staley, who was banned from the UK banking sector for life in June for deceiving regulators about his relationship with Epstein.

Military Service

Andrew was a member of the navy for more than two decades, including as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 conflict. After Giuffre filed three years ago, he ceased utilizing most of his military titles but kept the rank of naval commander.

The navy pension is his only current source of official earnings after his service from 1979 and 2001, reportedly totaling twenty thousand pounds annually.

Recent Developments

Royal officials officially declared last week he would be stripped of the honors of prince and Duke of York, as well as being made to leave his residence at Royal Lodge and move into private accommodation in Sandringham.

Royal staff had collaborated with government employees in the Cabinet Office to avoid the decision having to be approved by lawmakers, finally deciding that the king should remove the title entirely using his powers of royal prerogative.

Although the loss of his titles comes into effect immediately, the ex-royal is not expected to leave Royal Lodge until after Christmas, meaning he will not be present when the royals gather at Sandringham for the festive season.