PRINCE Andrew should be stripped of his military roles in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, armed forces sources have said.
The Duke of York has come under fire over his relationship with the convicted paedophile and is alleged to have had sex with a 17-year-old sex slave supplied by the billionaire.
Prince Andrew has a number of honorary military roles
Andrew, 59, was forced to resign from his public duties after a car-crash BBC Newsnight interview earlier this month.
He holds a number of honorary military appointments but sources have told The Times he has become an embarrassment to the armed forces and should be “quietly faded out”.
A senior Navy source said: “As a service we would not be rushing to invite him to anything. Its safe to say there have been grumbles and it seems likely that the post would be passed on.”
An Army source added: ” Its just not viable. Its embarrassing to be represented by someone like that.”
Andrew’s dad, the Duke of Edinburgh, gave up his honorary military positions after retiring from public duties.
A number of businesses and charities have already severed links with Prince Andrew and his Royal enterprise charity Pitch@Palace.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Action on Hearing Loss among the latest to announce that he will no longer serve as their patron.
The Duke of Edinburgh stepped down from his appointments after retiring from military life
The Duke of York wearing his military medals alongside the Queen
Andrew is a former naval helicopter pilot who flew in the Falklands War.
During the Newsnight interview he attempted to dismiss claims by accuser Virginia Roberts that he ‘sweated profusely’ while dancing with her at Tramp nightclub by saying he had been unable to sweat after serving in the conflict.
He claimed an overdose of adrenaline he suffered after being shot at meant he was unable to sweat until recently.
The Duke is commodore-in-chief of the fleet air arm and admiral of the sea cadet corps within the Royal Navy.
He holds honorary positions in the army, which include colonel of the Grenadier Guards and four other colonel-in-chief titles that link him to three regiments and the Small Arms School Corps.
The roles involve awarding medals to personnel and attending ceremonial events and visits.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: Its not for the palace to speak on behalf of the MoD or on assigning military commands.
Last week, Prince Andrew released a statement saying the Queen had ‘given her permission’ for him to ‘step back from public duties for the foreseeable future’.
The Queen is understood to have come to the decision after consulting Prince Charles.
The Duke will conduct no royal or public duties and will step back from all patronages.
He has also pledged to co-operate with authorities investigating Epstein, opening him up to serious criminal risk.
The Duke of York has faced a backlash since his car-crash interview on BBC Newsnight
Prince Andrew was under fire over claims he bedded Virginia Roberts when she was 17
Prince Andrew had also been hit by scandal over his friendship with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein
The Queen stripped Prince Andrew of all solo royal duties
