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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has stripped Prince Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages in the wake of a US judge allowing a civil sexual abuse case involving her son to move to trial, The Independent reports.

The Duke of York will now defend the case as a “private citizen” Buckingham Palace announced, while it is believed he will cease to be called His Royal Highness (HRH) in any official capacity.

On another highly damaging day, courtiers sought to stem the reputational harm to the monarchy by removing the duke from official royal life while distancing him from the wider family.

In a statement, the palace said: “With the Queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.

“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”

The duke’s current roles – including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest regiments in the British army – will be handed to other members of the royal family, with the details of the new arrangement yet to be announced.

Virginia Giuffre is suing Andrew in the US for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.

She claims she was trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17 and a minor under US law. Andrew denies all of the allegations.