Prince Andrew could be asked to drop his royal Duke of York title if he loses an impending civil lawsuit, it has been reported.
Pressure on the British royal has intensified following the conviction last week of Ghislaine Maxwell over sex trafficking charges, with defence sources suggesting he could lose his honorary military titles too.
Plans are said to have been drawn up by the royal household in which the 61-year-old prince would also be asked to surrender his charity ties and be sent into a form of internal exile.
He is facing litigation from Virginia Giuffre who claims she was sexually abused by Queen Elizabeth II’s son when she was 17 and is seeking punitive damages in the US. Prince Andrew strongly denies the allegations.
But planning is now taking place to protect the monarchy in the event Ms Giuffre, who was a victim of the underage abuser Jeffrey Epstein, wins the litigation.
“If he loses the case, the question is: what do you do with him?” a royal source is quoted by The Sunday Times as saying. “You can’t make him resign like you would a normal person but he would be asked to put his dukedom into abeyance.”
The suggestion would be that Prince Andrew is asked to stop using his Duke of York title in a similar request to that made to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they ceased to be working members of the royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not stripped of their “HRH” titles, but were asked not to use them.
It is understood the queen would be reluctant to strip her second son of the title that was held by her father, King George VI, before he was crowned.
The duke would also face calls to relinquish his honorary military positions — he is colonel-in-chief of nine military units, regiments and corps. It is understood that senior commanders believe that the prince retaining the honorary titles would be untenable if he loses the case.
Any decision will again depend on the queen’s agreement however there is unlikely to be any objection from the armed forces. Again, it would be a move similar to that made for Prince Harry who gave up his military titles after moving to the US when he ended his royal duties.
The Duke of York’s only hope of retaining both his title and military positions is that Ms Giuffre’s case is thrown out of court when proceedings begin in New York on Tuesday.
His lawyers will argue that a private settlement reached between Ms Giuffre and Epstein in 2009, after she sued him for years of abuse, protects associates of the deceased financier from being targeted in civil proceedings.
The lawyers will also claim the US court has no jurisdiction, on the grounds that Giuffre, 38, lives in Australia.
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
