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PRINCE ANDREW HAS reportedly resigned from his role with his flagship business project Pitch@Palace after days of speculation about his future with the successful initiative he founded.
The Duke of York appears to have bowed to pressure and stepped down, with the move coming a day after one sponsor said his plans to continue leading Pitch were “not tenable”.
High profile business sponsors KPMG, Standard Chartered and Inmarsat, a British satellite telecommunications company, have all said they will not be renewing their financial support for Pitch while Barclays, a partner of the project, ended its association with the initiative on Friday.
The Daily Telegraph reported sources as saying Andrew was no longer leading Pitch, which would continue without any royal involvement.
The beleaguered royal also faces the prospect of Virginia Giuffre, an alleged Jeffrey Epstein victim who claims she had under-age sex with the duke, something he strenuously denies, being interviewed on BBC’s Panorama programme early next month.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) was among a number of organisations which announced on Friday they would no longer be involved with Andrew, following the controversy around his friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein.
In a statement, an RPO spokesperson said: “Following HRH The Duke of York’s announcement that he will be stepping back from public life, management representatives of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) met with Prince Andrew’s office on Thursday afternoon.
“At a subsequent meeting of the RPO Board, it was decided that the Orchestra should part company with its patron, with immediate effect.
“The RPO would like to express its gratitude to His Royal Highness for his support of the Orchestra over the past 15 years.”
Another arts body also reportedly severed its ties, with the English National Ballet accepting Andrew’s resignation from his role as patron.
Andrew was expected to travel to the Middle East this weekend as part of his Pitch project, but has cancelled plans following reported pressure from his family.
He was pictured today out riding with the Queen in the grounds around Windsor Castle with two other riders.
It has also been reported his private secretary, Amanda Thirsk, has been removed from her palace-funded role and will instead become the chief executive of Pitch.
Scandal overshadowing democratic process
It has also been reported Buckingham Palace was disturbed by the mention of Andrew’s relationship with Epstein in the ITV election debate on Tuesday.
The Times said senior aides and the Prince of Wales advised the Queen that Andrew should be withdrawn from public life after concerns the scandal was overshadowing the democratic process.
Charles, who is on an official visit to New Zealand, was quizzed about events in the UK but ignored the question from a reporter about whether his brother should speak to US investigators about Epstein.
The duke will continue to work on Pitch and will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman would not comment on reports the duke had stepped down from leading Pitch.
She said: “The duke will continue to work on Pitch and will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace.
“We recognise there will be a period of time while this transition takes place.”
Pressure had been mounting on the duke in the wake of his BBC Newsnight interview last weekend about Epstein, with a growing number of multimillion-pound businesses, universities and charities distancing themselves from him and Pitch@Palace.
The Outward Bound Trust, which Andrew has supported for decades, accepted his resignation as patron and Huddersfield University confirmed the duke would be relinquishing his role as its chancellor.
A source, speaking for a sponsor of Andrew’s Pitch@Palace, said his desire to carry on as normal would not work and if its “reputational” problems continued the backer would end its contract.
Andrew will be scaling down his public work from now on, but it is not clear if his finances will change as he is supported by his mother the Queen and her help will never be disclosed.
After the BBC interview, Andrew faced criticism for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein’s victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with the financier, who took his own life while in prison earlier this year awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
The duke has denied claims he slept with alleged Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, on three separate occasions, twice while she was underage.
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Kenny has a nice EU commissioner role awaiting him in Brussels, which is his 30 pieces of silver for not burning the bondholders but burdened the Irish taxpayers with debt.
@Permo Dermo: that wasn’t him. Blame that lying bast@rd Brian Cowan for that
@jason bourne: Actually jason it was Enda “its not our debt” that put us on the rack,
@Permo Dermo:
Please. The people who burdened the Irish taxpayers with debt were the public sector unions, who’s refusal to give an inch on their bloated pay and pensions during the recession led to a €20 billion annual deficit, every year. The bank bailout was small change compared to that.
@Fred Jensen: €20 > €64?? oh ya I forgot you’re probably using leprechaun economics.
@Fred Jensen: You are some moron aren’t you if you believe that. Aside from the incontrovertible fact that every public sector employee took a fairly hefty pay cut, one which is only now beginning to be only slightly undone, and had a public sector only pension levy applied, how could anyone forget that it was the failure of private sector organisations – banks and property developers among others – that caused the recession and economic collapse. Don’t be so daft
@Fred Jensen: Fred would you ever cop on to yourself.
Why wasn’t tosser listed.
Well this gombeen ever exit the stage.he sold out his own people in favour of the EU,has to be the most embarrassing leader ever
The sheer arrogance of the man, did the same when it came to announcing the date of the last General Election, flip-flopping around for months, unwilling to inform the Irish people when they would be allowed to cast their vote, forgetting that he is nothing more than a PUBLIC SERVANT. Should be in jail for treason.
Surely Seannachi-in-chief. I know a homeless fella on a bench in merrion square with a pint in each hand who will second him for the role, as soon as he’s finished phoning everyone to tell them how much extra water is in his taps thanks to fine gael.
He wasn’t good enough to be taoiseach never mind any of the other jobs. The fact that the EU people see him as a soft touch to advance their own objectives (hence all the EU praise) will rule him out for all of those jobs. I can’t remember one important decision he’s made in the 6 years he’s been taoiseach, except that announcement for the immigrant vote referendum a few months back which will mean nothing to most of us.
@Adrian: The Aqueduct?
“Recently, there has been speculation that Kenny should be kept on as Brexit minister.”
Why would we want “its not our debt” any were near important discussions…..
40 years as a TD, stayed under the radar for 30 odd years collecting his wages and then spent the past few years keeping his masters in Brussels happy to make sure he gets a plum job in Europe. He’s done very well for “himself” and will be looked after while phase two austerity continues to be implemented under stealth taxes and lack of investment in public services. That’s his legacy and as long as the Irish people continue to FF/FG, many more entitled TD’s will enrich themselves on the back of the gullible Irish voter.
While he collects his Taoiseach’s massive pension pot and then the 100k lump sum and the 30k a year teachers pension, he can think about it.
Prison cell
@Jonathan Yeo: so it’s a crime to save a country from economic ruins?
@Negan: lol
@Negan: what planet are you on, I’d like to visit for a few hours.
What about absolute waster?
Quentin Tarantino is looking for a new gimp for Pulp Fiction 2
Would his incompetence be put up with anywhere else.
@William Clay: Only in the EU…..
He could get a job working for Dinny?
Like Cowan did.
Who would have him the circus wouldn’t take him!!
@vinnie Monaghan. Cos he already holds that job title.
He should be booted out of politics.
Why doesn’t he volunteer and dosomething worthwhile ? Why a job with a big salary and yet another pension?
A bog in his beloved mayo,,bury him in it
@Shane O Malley: Shane with a name like O Malley at u sure u wouldn’t like to be buried with him.
@Shane O Malley: Yes he should go back to mayo & cut turf, at least he would be doing something constructive & not costing the taxpayer more money
Backbencher?
@Dylan McKane: backstabber you mean surely
Go back teaching-ar u. Joking-he couldn’t teach a donkey.He will b over in the canaries rubbing the sun cream onto Finnullas back.
Enda wants the private lick arse job to Merkel.
have your say