Prince Harry and the Duke of York will not be awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal this year like other members of the Armed Forces, it has been reported.
The commemorative medal will serve as a thank you to serving members of the Armed Forces as well as those in the police, fire, emergency and prison services. It will also be given to members of the Royal Family who hold honorary positions in the military.
The Duke of York had his titles removed as he defends a sexual assault trial in the US
– Getty ImagesVeterans who have received the George Cross or Victoria Cross will also be eligible, although veterans without this award will not be.
However, without their honorary titles, Prince Harry and Andrew will not be receiving the award early in February, the Telegraph reported.
When Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020, he gave up his three honorary titles – Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command.
Andrew has now been stripped of his honorary titles and royal patronages amid his ongoing civil sex assault lawsuit in the US. The Queen announced last week he would be defending himself against allegations – which he denies – from Virginia Guiffre “as a private citizen”.
The duke’s roles included Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest regiments in the British army, honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth, colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment and colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps.
He also had the titles of commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm, royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own) and royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The honorary titles will now be handed out to other members of the family.
This will be the fourth Jubilee medal created for the Queen and the seventh for any monarch. It’s the first time in history a monarch has reached the 70th anniversary of their reign.
According to the Telegraph, non-working members of the Royal Family are likely to receive the medal as a gift, as has been the case on past Jubilees.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
