, ▁a ▁statement ▁from ▁Buck ingham ▁Palace ▁announced ▁that ▁Prince ▁Andrew ▁was ▁susp ending ▁his ▁public ▁duties ▁" for ▁the ▁for ese e able ▁future ". ▁The ▁decision , ▁made ▁with ▁the ▁consent ▁of ▁the ▁Queen , ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁the ▁ins istence ▁that ▁the ▁Duke ▁sympath ised ▁with ▁Ep stein ' s ▁vict ims . ▁Other ▁working ▁roy als ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁take ▁his ▁commit ments ▁over ▁in ▁the ▁short ▁term . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁November , ▁the ▁Duke ▁rel in qu ished ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁ch an cell or ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Hud ders field . ▁Three ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁palace ▁confirmed ▁that ▁Andrew ▁was ▁to ▁step ▁down ▁from ▁all ▁ 2 3 0 ▁of ▁his ▁patron ages , ▁although ▁he ▁expressed ▁a ▁wish ▁to ▁have ▁some ▁sort ▁of ▁public ▁role ▁at ▁some ▁future ▁time . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁Home ▁Office ▁was ▁recomm ending ▁" a ▁major ▁down grade ▁of ▁security " ▁for ▁Prince ▁Andrew , ▁which ▁would ▁put ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁" his ▁round - the - clock ▁armed ▁police ▁protection ". ▁The ▁recommendation ▁will ▁be ▁review ed ▁by ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Police ▁before ▁being ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Home ▁Secretary ▁and ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁who ▁will ▁make ▁the ▁final ▁decision . ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁US ▁Att orney ▁Geoff rey ▁B erman ▁stated ▁that ▁Prince ▁Andrew ▁had ▁provided ▁" zero ▁co - operation " ▁with ▁federal