Andrew’s war legacy wiped from existence in Falkland Islands | UK | News
Former royal Prince Andrew has visited British overseas territories many times (Image: Getty Images)
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who bravely served as a helicopter co-pilot in the Falkland Islands, has been completely wiped out from the Islands.
The martyred royal, formerly Prince Andrew, visited British overseas territories on numerous occasions to great acclaim and was asked to open numerous public facilities.
However, following the King’s decision two weeks ago to remove Andrew’s titles of Prince and Duke, all memorial plaques bearing his name have now been removed.
This development is likely to be another humiliating defeat for Andrew, who returned from the 1982 war as champion.
Last night, Kaylee Smith, 33, who was born and raised in the Islands, commented: “Andrew was rightfully stripped of his titles and plaques, bringing shame to his family and the country he once represented.”
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‘Forever British’
Andrew, 65, returned to the Falklands three years after the conflict to open the £300 million Mount Pleasant Airport.
Photos from a media report at the time show the then-Prince unveiling a commemorative tablet at the terminal building before a spirited meeting.
Thousands of people attended the event, with many holding banners reading “British forever”.
He was then presented with a silver inscribed map of the Islands before meeting the construction personnel involved in the project. However, it has now been revealed that the hanging on the wall has been removed.
Andrew was hailed as a hero by Falkland Islanders when he visited. (Image: Falkland Islands Association)
All ties are broken
Airport officials confirmed that all ties with the former Duke were severed after his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was revealed. The Ministry of Defence, which operates the RAF base, added: “Defence continues to act in line with Her Majesty’s intentions regarding the process of removing the style, titles and honors of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.”
Andrew made another trip to the Islands in 2002 and opened several more buildings, including the new block at the Infant Children’s School in the capital, Stanley. After opening the plaque, he toured the facilities with teachers and governors and then watched the students participate in the ball match.
But he has now been erased from the school’s history and this week a spokesman confirmed: “The plaque has been taken down and the Duke of York is no longer affiliated with our school.”
Andrew, who is patron of the islands’ Falklands Conservation charity, later traveled to New Island to open an environmental station and launch an ‘Adopt a Penguin’ scheme. But a staff member at the wildlife center informed us: “He has been removed as a user and the plaque at the field center is gone too.”
Man in naval uniform stands near plaque on the wall (Image: Falkland Islands Association)
Served with privilege
The commemorative tablet bearing Andrew’s name at KEMH Hospital in the Falklands was removed in 2022 following an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. Member of Parliament for the territory, John Birmingham, said: “Renovations are ongoing and, in view of the Prince’s retirement from public life, the plaque bearing his name will be given to the Falklands Museum.”
The former prince served with distinction in the Royal Navy for more than two decades. He served as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot during the military conflict with Argentina over the Falkland Islands; One of its missions was to act as decoy for Argentina’s Exocet missiles.
The war, which lasted from April to June 1982, began with Argentina’s invasion of British-held islands and ended with the surrender of Argentine forces.
He was hailed as a hero after returning from the conflict and his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, stood at the end of the pier in Portsmouth. He was famously welcomed by Elizabeth. He gifted her a red rose which he placed between his teeth.
Prince Andrew opens Chase Farm Hospital in 2019 (Image:-)
South Atlantic Medal
He was awarded the South Atlantic Medal, also known as the Falklands Medal, and a badge; this was the only honor he was allowed to retain.
He has since been stripped of his principality, dukedom, Knighthood of the Garter and military titles. His patronage of the Falkland Islands memorial chapel in Reading was also revoked.
The stripping of the plaques he announced on the islands will deal Andrew another crushing blow.
A source revealed last night: “Andrew’s connection to the Falkland Islands was his last remaining source of pride. It will be truly devastating for him to now have his name removed from key public buildings there.”
(FILES) Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell pose for a photo in an undated photo (LR) taken at an undisclosed location and released by the United States District of New York Southern District on August 9, 2021. King Charles will strip his younger brother Andrew of his royal titles and long-term residence at the Windsor estate, the palace said in a statement on October 30, 2025; It was the latest incident to hit the royal family, which has been plagued by scandal surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein affair. “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” the palace said, adding that Charles had begun the formal process to strip his brother of his titles. (Photo: Handout / US District Court – Southern District of New York (SDNY) / AFP) (Photo: HANDOUT / US District Court – Southern District of New York (SDNY) / AFP via Getty Images) (Image: US District Court – Southern Dis)
British prince ‘came down’
It comes after it was revealed he had removed a plaque he unveiled in the entrance hall of North London NHS Hospital Chase Farm.
Plaques bearing his name were also removed from the Universities of Manchester, Huddersfield and Newcastle.
Following the King’s decision to strip Andrew of his titles as Prince and Duke of York, Virginia Giuffre’s family declared that he had “overthrown an English Prince by his integrity and extraordinary courage.”
Man opens wall plaque while others watch (Image: Merco Press)
Andrew denied the accusations
Virginia, who committed suicide earlier this year, claimed she was introduced to Andrew at Maxwell’s London home and forced to have sex with him later that evening.
He vehemently denies meeting her.
She also claimed she had sex with Andrew at Epstein’s New York flat and attended an “orgy” on his private Caribbean island, Little St James.
Prince Andrew returns from the Falklands War. Picture taken with Prince Philip in Portsmouth – 17 September 1982. (Image: Mirrorpix)
Andrew faces eviction
Andrew will be evicted from Windsor Royal Lodge, where he lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and will move to Norfolk’s Sandringham estate.
The move will be privately financed by Charles.
He also faces the possibility of a special investigation by anti-monarchy pressure group Republic over allegations of sexual assault, misconduct in public office and corruption.
Her long-term relationship with Epstein was revealed in 2011, by which point the predator had been sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Children on the playground chatting with the man in the marine uniform (Image: Falkland Islands Association)
Car crash BBC interview
But Andrew’s disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019 effectively ended his Royal duties.
It was later revealed that she sent an email to Epstein in 2011, just a day after the controversial photo showing Andrew with his accuser emerged, declaring they were “in this together”, despite his claims on Newsnight that he had cut all ties.
Documents released earlier this week include an email from Andrew that Maxwell forwarded via Epstein: “This has nothing to do with me. I can’t take this anymore.”
It follows outrage from British veterans on Friday after a new £10 million Falklands War museum in Argentina claimed the deaths of 1,200 British soldiers; this was almost five times the actual figure of 255. They branded the Argentinian government’s state-run museum in Patagonia a “pathetic attempt to rewrite history”.
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