Several charities have confirmed that Prince Andrew no longer represents them as a patron, according to reports over the weekend, but some have maintained the link.
The charities acted after Prince Andrew’s interview with Newsnight in November 2019, when he admitted that his long-standing friendship with Jeffery Epstein was “not becoming” for a member of the royal family.
The Sunday Telegraph included the charities in coverage of nearly 50 organisations which have cut ties with Prince Andrew since 2019.
Patronage lost
The Telegraph reported that nine charities had removed Prince Andrew as a patron: the Foundation for Liver Research, Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), The Golf Foundation, The Children’s Foundation, The Outward Bound Trust, The British Science Association, Naval Children’s Charity, The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Civil Society News reported in 2019 that he had stepped down from roles at Action on Hearing Loss, which has since rebranded as RNID, and the English National Ballet in the immediate aftermath of his Newsnight interview.
Buckingham Palace has already said that it “did not expect” Prince Andrew to carry out any public engagements on behalf of charity patronages.
Charities still linked with Prince Andrew
A spokesperson for the Staffordshire Regiment Museum Trust told Civil Society News that Prince Andrew was still a patron at the charity, and would remain in this role unless the royal household advised them otherwise.
A spokesperson for the aerospace charity Morayvia also confirmed that Prince Andrew remained a patron, and said that there were currently no plans to remove him from his role. The spokesperson added that Prince Andrew had not been found guilty of any crime and that the charity did not wish to “pile pressure on him”.
The prince's own charity, the Prince Andrew Charitable Trust, announced it would close last year after the Charity Commission raised concerns about unauthorised trustees benefits.
He is still listed as a patron of more than 120 voluntary and public sector organisations.
Stepping back
Announcing his intention to step away from many public engagements in light of his controversial relationship with Epstein, Prince Andrew said in 2019: “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”
Jeffrey Epstein took his own life in prison in August 2019, while awaiting a trial on sex trafficking charges.
Related news
