Prince Andrew has been forced to scale back his royal duties in the wake of sexual assault allegations from Virginia Giuffre, claims he strenuously denies.
Aside from his royal roles, private firms such as BT and Barclays have also severed ties with him in recent years.
But he still remains the Duke of York, has kept the title HRH and is the patron or honorary member of more than 100 charities and organisations.
Now that a civil sex assault case against him can go ahead, he could face rigorous questions over his private life in open court – potentially further damaging his public standing in the UK.
But what does the future hold for the duke, and what could he stand to lose?
Financial damages
If he loses his case, US legal experts speculate that Andrew could face a bill that runs into millions of dollars, as there is no limit to possible damages. The press has been rife with speculation over how the duke has paid his lawyers, with some papers alleging the Queen has helped fund her second son’s legal bills and others saying she has refused to do so. But she will want to avoid being seen to have any role in helping to pay any potential damages. Andrew has recently been told he can sell his multimillion-pound Swiss ski chalet after paying a debt to a French socialite, which could alleviate any potential financial worries.
HRH title
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were asked to stop using their His and Her Royal Highness titles when they stopped being working members of the royal family in February 2020. After his disastrous Newsnight interview, a few months before, Andrew had also stepped back from royal duties. However, he could keep his HRH status despite calls for him to lose it.
Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew: Epstein, Maxwell and the Palace, has speculated that he could be told to drop the title in the wake of the lawsuit. “There are too many legal questions surrounding the prince and it is increasingly doubtful that he can hold on to his HRH status,” he told Newsweek.
Duke of York title
There has been speculation that Andrew could be stripped of the title of the Duke of York if he loses the case. But royal biographer Christopher Warwick is doubtful. Citing 1917 legislation aimed at preventing “enemy royals” using British titles, he told Sky: “Andrew is not an enemy of Britain, so the Titles Deprivation Act wouldn’t come into it.”
Other honorary roles
The duke has already had to abandon his Pitch@Palace mentoring scheme after sponsors deserted the initiative. He was also forced to resign as chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. The Outward Bound Trust ditched Andrew as its patron, while his role as president of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions also came to an end.
But Andrew is still listed on the royal family’s website as patron or honorary member of 106 charities and organisations, from the Army Officer’s Golfing Society to the Yorkshire Society. [See footnote].These include dozens of golf clubs, but also hospitals and private schools.
Military titles
After his stint in the Royal Navy, including his service in the Falklands war where he claims he lost the ability to sweat, Andrew has 15 honorary military titles.
Some of these, notably his role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, are now in doubt.
Grenadier Guards officers are reportedly “uncomfortable having to drink to the health of Prince Andrew at the end of regimental dinners”. Former L/Sgt Julian Perreira told the Daily Mail: “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 step down immediately.”