Royal Liverpool Golf Club ‘looking forward to the future’ as Prince Andrew removed as patron

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open in 2023 and it is not yet known which royal will take over as patron ahead of the prestigious tournament.
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Prince Andrew will be removed as patron of The Royal Liverpool Golf Club following the decision that his military titles and royal patronages should be returned to the Queen.

The Duke of York, who will no longer call himself His Royal Highness, stepped back from official duties in 2019.

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He was stripped of his titles after the dramatic fallout from his civil sexual assault case.

Prince Andrew has been an ambassador for the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, which will host The Open next year, since the 1990s and played his first full public game of golf there.

In November 2019 the golf club released a statement saying it would not be calling on him to engage in any activity on its behalf after he decided to step back from public duties.

Prince Andrew watches the golf with the lady and men’s captain’s of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club Dr Maureen Richmond and Tudor Williams on the final day of the 2019 Walker Cup Match at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Photo: David Cannon/Getty ImagesPrince Andrew watches the golf with the lady and men’s captain’s of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club Dr Maureen Richmond and Tudor Williams on the final day of the 2019 Walker Cup Match at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images
Prince Andrew watches the golf with the lady and men’s captain’s of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club Dr Maureen Richmond and Tudor Williams on the final day of the 2019 Walker Cup Match at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images

What’s been said

Simon Newland, Royal Liverpool Golf Club secretary, said the club along with other organisations, was waiting to hear from the royal household.

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He said: “We are in their hands about what happens next. Prince Andrew has not been involved with the club recently, but in the past he used to visit quite frequently.

“We are concentrating on the 2023 Open Championship which is being held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club and we are looking forward to the future.”

Prince Andrew’s links to Royal Liverpool

The Duke of York wrote a foreword to the book Mighty Winds ... Mighty Champions: The Official History of The Royal Liverpool Golf Club, which was published in 2006.

In it he said: “Hoylake commands a particular place in my golfing life. It was over the famous links of Royal Liverpool that I played my first full public game of golf whilst serving in the Royal Navy as flight commander on HMS Campbeltown.

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“We were made most welcome under a standing arrangement by the club for naval golfers visiting Liverpool. Since that happy introduction to this historic club, I have returned on many occasions and I am now very proud to be its patron.”

The Duke of York watches the action during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2006. Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesThe Duke of York watches the action during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2006. Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
The Duke of York watches the action during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2006. Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

He went on to say that Hoylake held “many happy memories” and his annual Duke of York Young Champions Trophy competition was launched at the club in 2001.

The event, which was wound up in 2020, promoted junior golf and was held annually across the UK with past players including former world number one Rory McIlroy.

Sexual assault allegations against the Duke of York

Virginia Giuffre says she was the victim of sex trafficking and abuse by Jeffrey Epstein from the age of 16, according to court documents.

Ms Giuffre claims the duke, who has denied all allegations, sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was under the age of 18.

Prince Andrew will face a civil case in the US.

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