By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Prince Andrew is likely not to appear in military uniform at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II September 19, following his estrangement from the royal family on allegations bordering on sexual offences.
While other senior British royals will appear in military uniform, Prince Andrew will be excluded from such royal privilege.
Andrew was stripped of his “His Royal Highness” and honorary military titles earlier in the year following involvement in sexual scandal.
The 62-year-old was banished from royal life for having carnal knowledge of a teenage victim of American child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
He was sighted being driven to the queen’s Balmoral estate on Thursday, the day of her death. He also appeared alongside other grieving senior royals on Saturday and Sunday in Scotland.
While fellow members of the royal family will appear in military camouflage for five separate commemorative events for the queen, including her state funeral Sept 19, Andrew will only wear military colours for a final vigil in Westminster Hall, Britain’s domestic, Press Association had reported.
Andrew was honorary colonel of the Grenadier Guards, whose soldiers are part of the Household Division that guard Buckingham Palace in their distinctive bearskin hats and red tunics.
Often called the queen’s “favourite son”, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2001 who claimed she was delivered to him by Epstein. Andrew had repeatedly denied the allegations.
He settled a US civil lawsuit over the allegations in February for an undisclosed sum.
Queen Elizabeth’s successor, King Charles III is expected to make his younger brother’s royal exile permanent, experts say.
