'Bitter' Andrew loses final military title: 'This might hurt the most'

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has lost many of his prestigious titles these past few weeks over his connections to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but the one he just lost may be his biggest loss yet.

After a recent review by the Defence Council, the former Duke of York has been forcefully demoted from his rank of Vice Admiral — his last remaining military title since the fallout — to Commander (Retired) Royal Navy, The Sun reported on December 14.

A Government spokeswoman confirmed the decision in a statement: “Following formal consideration, the Defence Council have agreed the immediate reversion from the rank of Vice-Admiral to the rank of Commander (Retired) Royal Navy, the rank held on retirement from Regular Royal Naval Service by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. This decision aligns with such processes as to remove other styles and titles.”

Royal expert Ingrid Seward described the development as a deeply personal blow. “It is a huge blow because he thinks of himself as an Armed Forces man,” she told The Sun. “He served very bravely in the Falklands. I think the service, being in the Navy, has been the most stable thing in his life. He’ll be very hurt by that.”

Seward added, “This might hurt quite a lot more than some of the other things he’s lost, because he will feel he has earned the right to the ranking. He may well be bitter.”