Thursday, June 18, 2026
ADVT 
National

Canadian Organizations Distancing Themselves From Disgraced Royal

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Dec, 2019 10:24 PM

    A prominent member of the Royal Family has little ground left to lose in Canada even as he faces fresh scrutiny and public rebukes closer to home.

     

    Canadian organizations had begun severing ties with Prince Andrew long before Monday night's bombshell interview with a woman who said she had sex with the prince three times while underage and at the command of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

     

    On Tuesday, the Queen did not include her disgraced second son as she greeted NATO leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, at Buckingham Palace in London.

     

    But Canadian organizations that once welcomed Andrew's patronage had begun distancing themselves from him in droves since his disastrous interview with BBC last month. The interview, in which the prince denied the allegations, caused public backlash after he failed to express concern for Epstein's victims, including the woman whose accusations triggered the latest round of criticism.

     

    That woman, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, spoke out publicly on Monday during a BBC interview in which she described herself as a sex trafficking victim and alleged she slept with Prince Andrew three times while she was 17 years old.

     

    But long before Giuffre's appearance on BBC Panorama, Canadian organizations that once called the prince a patron were severing ties in light of his own remarks.

     

    "His Royal Highness issued a statement on November 20 declaring he has stepped down from all public duties," read a statement from the Sick Kids Foundation. "We believe this was important and appropriate for him to do. With that announcement, His Royal Highness is no longer in the role of Royal Patron to SickKids."

     

    The statement went on to say the foundation, which funds Canada's largest children's hospital, was preparing to address the prince's ongoing connection to the organization at an upcoming board meeting before he opted to step out of the public spotlight.

     

    At around the same time, Canada's Rideau Hall Foundation announced it would not be renewing an agreement with Pitch@Palace , an initiative started by Prince Andrew to help aspiring entrepreneurs.

     

    "We will continue to support Canada's incredible entrepreneurs and look forward to other opportunities to celebrate and grow Canada’s culture of innovation," read a statement issued by the foundation.

     

    Several other Canadian organizations have reportedly ended their associations with the prince in the days after his BBC interview, including Lakefield College School, which has ended Prince Andrew's term as honorary chair of the school's foundation board. The prince attended the school for six months in his teens.

     

    But the Prince is maintaining at least one title, according to Canada's Department of National Defence.

     

    "As is the custom, the Duke of York holds the honorary title of Colonel-in-Chief of The Princess Louise Fusiliers, The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada and the Queen's York Rangers," the department said in a statement.

     

    Meanwhile, Giuffre's BBC interview breathed fresh life into a scandal that has dogged the Royal Family for weeks.

     

    Giuffre described how she was trafficked by Epstein beginning in 2001 and made to have sex with Andrew three times, including once in London.

     

    "This is not some sordid sex story. This is a story of being trafficked, this is a story of abuse and this is a story of your guys' royalty," Giuffre told the program.

     

    Andrew, 59, has categorically denied having sex with Giuffre and apologized for his association with Epstein, who died in prison in August in what New York City officials said was a suicide.

     

    In the TV interview, Giuffre said she danced with Andrew at a London nightclub before having sex with him.

     

    "It was horrible and this guy was sweating all over me," she said. "His sweat was like it was raining basically everywhere, I was just like grossed out from it, but I knew I had to keep him happy because that's what Jeffrey ... would have expected from me."

     

    In his recent interview, Andrew said he had never met Giuffre. He said he had a medical condition that prevented him from sweating.

     

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Veterans Activist Gets Ok To Press $25K Libel Suit Against Liberal Minister

    In its decision, the Court of Appeal ordered the $25,000 libel suit Sean Bruyea brought against Seamus O'Regan back to small claims court for trial.

    Veterans Activist Gets Ok To Press $25K Libel Suit Against Liberal Minister

    Alberta Seeks To Intervene In B.C.'s Appeal To Supreme Court On Energy Projects

    Alberta Seeks To Intervene In B.C.'s Appeal To Supreme Court On Energy Projects
    Alberta wants to have its say when British Columbia goes to the Supreme Court for a ruling on who is in charge of interprovincial projects like pipelines.    

    Alberta Seeks To Intervene In B.C.'s Appeal To Supreme Court On Energy Projects

    Officials Warned China, India Could Use Communities In Canada To Advance Agendas

    Some of the federal government's top bureaucrats have been warned that China and India might try to use their respective migrant communities in Canada to advance their own interests.    

    Officials Warned China, India Could Use Communities In Canada To Advance Agendas

    Magnitude-4.6 Earthquake Hits Seattle Area, Felt As Far As Vancouver

    Magnitude-4.6 Earthquake Hits Seattle Area, Felt As Far As Vancouver
    A magnitude-4.6 earthquake that struck outside Seattle has reportedly been felt as far north as the Vancouver area.

    Magnitude-4.6 Earthquake Hits Seattle Area, Felt As Far As Vancouver

    Shooting In Oppenheimer Park Sends Man To Hospital: Vancouver Police Express Concern About Safety In The Park

    Vancouver Police are investigating a shooting in Oppenheimer Park and are raising concern about the safety risk associated with the park.    

    Shooting In Oppenheimer Park Sends Man To Hospital: Vancouver Police Express Concern About Safety In The Park

    Op-ed: More Child Care Spaces Support Families And Strengthen Economy

    When I think about what child care means for families in B.C., I think of all the patchwork calendars stuck to fridges across the province telling the child care story of each household. 

    Op-ed: More Child Care Spaces Support Families And Strengthen Economy