King Charles is allowing his younger brother to hold onto honours he received for his military service, despite being stripped of his title of prince and evicted from the Royal Lodge
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is being permitted to retain his Falklands War campaign medal, despite being stripped of all his other royal titles and honours, as well as the government’s decision to strip Andrew of his honorary vice admiral rank.
The Defence Secretary, John Healey, previously announced that the Government would strip Andrew’s military title. However, when questioned about whether Andrew could retain his military medals, Healey stated that the Ministry of Defence would follow whatever decisions the monarch made. The Palace has since confirmed that Andrew will keep his Falklands medal along with all other operational service medals he earned.
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Andrew served for 22 years in the Royal Navy, beginning his commission as a sub-lieutenant in 1981. He had been with 820 Naval Air Squadron on HMS Invincible for just nine weeks when Argentina launched its invasion in April 1982.
During the conflict, the then 22-year-old prince flew as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot, undertaking anti-submarine operations, anti-surface warfare, medical evacuations and rescue missions.
He also performed the dangerous role of drawing Argentine Exocet missiles away from the aircraft carrier by flying his helicopter as a decoy target. Andrew’s years of dedicated service earned him the South Atlantic Medal, commonly called the Falklands Medal, with an additional rosette recognising his actions.
Approximately 33,000 such medals were distributed, but only around 3,300 included the rosette distinction. Veterans who served in the Falklands have strongly defended the decision to let Andrew keep his medal.
One veteran, 64-year-old Simon Weston, who suffered severe burns when the RFA Sir Galahad came under attack during the war, described any attempt to remove the medal as “morally indefensible”. He told The Telegraph: “He has lost all other aspects of dignity, respect and honour he was ever once shown.
“But the one thing you cannot strip away from the man no matter how vindictive, vicious or virtue-signalling you want to be is that moment in his life where he was dignified, honourable and courageous.”
Weston questioned the government’s authority to strip what he termed “someone’s property”, emphasising that Andrew had “earned this” through “time and sacrifice”.
The decision comes just days after it was announced that Andrew would be stripped of all his royal titles and honours – including his birthright title of prince – and would be evicted from the Royal Lodge, beginning a new life as a commoner.
King Charles ’ decision to strip his younger brother of his titles comes after fresh revelations of Andrew and his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has strenuously denied all claims against him.
