Prince Andrew out as head of Queen’s York Rangers

January 20, 2022 · 0 Comments

Aurora’s regiment, The Queen’s York Rangers, is without a Colonel-in-Chief following a decision announced by Buckingham Palace last Thursday.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was relieved of his honourary military appointments in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand amid an ongoing claim he sexually assaulted the then-teenage Virginia Giuffre, one of the highest profile accusers of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Giuffre is suing the Duke of York in a U.S. civil court and the Queen’s second son strenuously denies her claims.

The Duke of York was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Queen’s York Rangers, a regiment based out of Toronto’s Fort York Armoury and the Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe Armoury on Aurora’s Industrial Parkway South, in 1999.

That came to an end on January 13 with a simple statement from Buckingham Palace.

“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,” said the Palace. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”

The Palace went on to state that Prince Andrew would no longer be using his title of “His Royal Highness” and these patronages and military appointments would be redistributed to other members of the Royal Family.

The Duke of York last visited the Queen’s York Rangers in 2014 at a series of meetings in Toronto and at an Oak Ridges banquet centre just south of Aurora where he also unveiled signage and commemorative plaques for Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Park on John West Way.

Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell continues in her role as Colonel of the Regiment for the Queen’s York Rangers.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter