The One Event Prince Andrew Is Allowed To Wear His Military Attire To

When news broke that Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was accused of sexual assault and battery against Virginia Giuffre alongside his disgraced billionaire friend Jeffrey Epstein, fans of the royal family were stunned (via The New York Times). When Queen Elizabeth II learned of the news, she stripped her son of his military titles and the ability to style himself as His Royal Highness in an official capacity, the BBC reports.

At the time, Buckingham Palace released a formal statement that read, “With the Queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.” It continued, “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.” He eventually settled out of court with his victim.

However, following the heartbreaking death of Queen Elizabeth II, there has been an exception to the rule against Prince Andrew wearing his military duds in public.

During the Vigil of the Princes, a ceremony that takes place a few days before the queen’s funeral, all four of her children stood guard over her coffin for 10 minutes. During that ceremonial moment, Prince Andrew was allowed to wear a military uniform, per the Daily Mail. This is a rare occurrence, one the Duke of York might not see again for a while.

The Vigil of the Princes was last performed in 2002 before the Queen Mother’s funeral.