Buckingham Palace announced Thursday that Queen Elizabeth has stripped her son Prince Andrew of all military titles and patronages and he will no longer be entitled to use His Royal Highness (HRH) as a form of address.

The action – effective immediately – means he is now forced to defend his sexual abuse case in a U.S. court as a “private citizen.” The civil case, brought by Virginia Giuffre, is due to move into a discovery phase soon where Andrew may have to sit for an interview under oath – known as a deposition.

The decision is understood to have been taken following wide discussions amongst the Royal Family.