THE royal family has distanced itself from Prince Andrew ahead of his civil sexual abuse case in the States. 

The Duke of York has been stripped of his military affiliations and his royal patronages, Buckingham Palace confirmed today.

He will also no longer use the style His Royal Highness, in any official capacity, a royal source told PA.

He will continue to not undertake public duties - as has been the case since 2019 and his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, where he claimed he couldn't sweat. 

The palace said he would defend his case "as a private citizen". 

The titles include three specific to Scotland. These are honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth, royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers and royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The others are colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment, colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps, commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm and deputy colonel-in-chief of the Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own).

It comes after more than 150 Royal Navy, RAF and Army veterans wrote to the Queen, calling on her to strip the Duke of York of all his ranks and titles within the British armed forces.

“Were this any other senior military officer it is inconceivable that he would still be in post,” they wrote in the joint letter issued by the pressure group Republic.

“Officers of the British armed forces must adhere to the very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct.

“These are standards which Prince Andrew has fallen well short of.

“It is hard not to see, when senior officers are reportedly describing him as ‘toxic’, that he has brought the services he is associated with into disrepute.

“We are therefore asking that you take immediate steps to strip Prince Andrew of all his military ranks and titles and, if necessary, that he be dishonourably discharged.

“We understand that he is your son, but we write to you in your capacity as head of state and as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

“These steps could have been taken at any time in the past 11 years. Please do not leave it any longer.”

Prince Andrew is facing a civil case in the US over allegation he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl, which he denies. 

Virginia Giuffre is suing the prince over the alleged abuse she said took place in 2001. 

His lawyers attempted to have her complaint thrown out, citing a deal she had signed with convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein - one of Prince Andrew's friends. 

In 2001, Guiffre and Prince Andrew were pictured together alongside Ghislaine Maxwell - who was convicted of child sex trafficking last year.