Grenadier Guards cheer as chief Prince Andrew gets replaced; Racecourse tries to distance itself from royal

After Buckingham Palace cut its ties with Prince Andrew and declared him a "private citizen," other organisations are also trying to distance themselves from the British royal as he fights a sex abuse case against him.

When Andrew was recently stripped of his honorary military titles, the roles automatically went back to the Crown, which means it was returned to his mother Queen Elizabeth II "with immediate effect."

According to a report in Mail Online, the Grenadier Guards were more than happy when the Duke of York got replaced by the monarch as their colonel. The officers, who reportedly felt "uncomfortable" drinking to Andrew's health at regimental dinners, celebrated his replacement with "three cheers" for the Queen.

The regiment's ceremonial commander, Lieutenant General Roly Walker, said in an email sent to all troops, "I am sure you will offer a personal 'Three Cheers' for the colonel, an appointment she first held in 1942, 80 years to the day on February 24 this year."

Andrew had inherited the position from his late father Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, after the latter quit his public duties in 2017. It was one of the few positions Andrew was able to retain when he stepped back from royal duties in 2019 following his disastrous Newsnight interview in which he addressed his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile, York Racecourse is also trying to distance itself from the 61-year-old. Concerned racecourse bosses are planning to rebrand one of its most historic events, The Duke of York Stakes, a prestigious six-furlong sprint that is contested on the opening day of the Dante Festival.

The event, which was first staged in 1895, derives its name from the Queen's grandfather Prince George, Duke of York, who went on to become King George V. However, the officials at York Racecourse are considering revisiting the alias as the current Duke of York is battling sex abuse allegations.

James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship at York Racecourse, said now was the right time to make the name "clearer." He added, "It was named in honour of Prince George who went on to become King George V. It has never been directly about Prince Andrew. With that in mind, however, we are going to explore how we can make the name a lot clearer about its history - and that the name refers to an entirely different Duke of York. We are aware of the question and will take an appropriate step."