Birthday union flag flying limited to Queen and Charles after Andrew shame
20 June 2022, 11:14
The Queen and Prince Charles will be the only royals to have the Union Flag flown over government buildings on birthdays.
In an attempt rumoured to save face for disgraced Duke of York Prince Andrew, senior royals Prince William, Kate Middleton, Princess Anne, Camilla and Sophie will also forgo the honour of a Union Flag flying designation.
According to the Sun, the government decision was made in agreement with Queen Elizabeth.
Several local councils said they would not fly the flag over buildings for Andrew's birthday due to his association and friendship with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein who was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in New York, where he was awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking.
The death was ruled suicide by hanging by the coroner.
The government changed its designated Union Flag flying guidelines for 2022, where Andrew's birthday on 19 February had been removed from the calendar, alongside other royals.
This comes as future king Prince William is reportedly lobbying the queen to have his disgraced uncle barred from public life permanently.
The shamed prince was allegedly left confused and upset after he was banned from participating in Garter Day, after William told his grandmother he would not attend the ceremony if Andrew was present, despite him claiming he was given royal blessing to attend.
Read more: Prince Andrew 'crushed and confused' by Garter Day ban
Andrew was stripped of his royal duties after paying out a substantial out-of-court settlement of £12 million to Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who accused the prince of sexually abusing her when she was 17, an accusation he denies.
The prince is reportedly keen to return to his previous status as a 'working royal', and have his official titles returned to him, but faces fierce opposition from brother and heir to the throne Charles, and nephew Prince William.
He is also facing another brush with the US legal system, as lawyers for another Epstein victim, Caroline Kaufman, threaten to serve him with papers to summon him as a witness.
Kaufman's representatives claim that Andrew was visiting Epstein's lavish New York townhouse in 2010 on the day Epstein raped her.
28-year-old wants Andrew to give a statement on that night.
