A former RAF officer has slammed what he called "cancel culture gone crazy" over the stripping of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s military titles, saying he should keep the medals he earned for his service.
The ex-RAF Officer, Al Rush, pointed to Andrew’s decades-long career in the Royal Navy, including his role as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War and his command of the mine countermeasures vessel HMS Cottesmore.
"He put in as much effort and time as anybody else. He shouldn't lose it. It's just cancel culture gone crazy, isn't it?” Mr Rush said.
The comments come after the Government confirmed it is working to remove Andrew’s last remaining honorary military title at the request of King Charles.
Andrew had his royal titles stripped by King Charles last week
| PALast week, Andrew was stripped of his title as a prince and his position as Duke of York, but he retained his rank as Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy after giving up other military positions in 2022.
Mr Rush added: "I am not apologising for him. I am not justifying or defending anything that he is alleged to have done.
"But I think we do need to see the facts. We need to have them properly investigated, and then we need to make a proper decision about that."
GB News host Miriam Cates agreed: "Do we not also need to take a step back here and think about what all this cancel culture really means and what precedent this might set?
"Because of course, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is alleged to have done some terrible things, but he's also done some very heroic things in the Falklands War.
The ex-RAF Officer, Al Rush said that it is 'cancel culture gone mad'
|GB NEWS
"He's a member of the Royal Family. And if we try to overturn the good that people do every time they're convicted or even alleged to be convicted of something bad, are we're not in danger of cancelling everyone.
"No one lives a blameless life. No one is not guilty of anything, ever. Isn't this just cancel culture gone mad?"
Andrew served 22 years in the Royal Navy and has always denied any wrongdoing linked to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Government and the Royal Household have stressed that the removal of his remaining honours is in line with the King’s wishes.
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Andrew had already given up his other military titles and royal patronages in 2022, and ceased using the style His Royal Highness in an official capacity, following allegations of sexual abuse in a civil case in the United States.
He later settled the case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, a victim of sex trafficking and abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, who claimed Andrew sexually abused her as a teenager allegations he has consistently denied.
The military titles he relinquished at the time included Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the British Army’s most senior infantry regiments.
He also stepped down from several overseas honorary roles, including Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada and Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment.