Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's name will be erased from the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire register and his CBE medal of honor from Queen Elizabeth will be stripped, as ordered by Her Majesty.
In a statement to the press, the Queen ordered the removal of the disgraced producer as the Honorary Commander of the Civil Division of her order. Weinstein received this honor from Queen Elizabeth in 2004. However, early this year, the courts in New York convicted him of raping actress Jessica Mann and for committing a criminal sexual act against Mimi Halley, a production assistant.
The CBE is the highest civilian honor from the monarch. Established in 1917 by Queen Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, the honorees are chosen by recommendation and nominations.
A spokesperson said that it is rare to remove a CBE awardee but it can happen if the honoree has been found guilty for a criminal offense in court. According to The Guardian, calls to strip the producer of his CBE started in 2017, when a deluge of women finally talked against Weinstein and ushered the #MeToo movement.
Weinstein still has to face charges in Los Angeles but there are delays in the trial due to COVID-19. The producer has denied all the accusations against him even as more than 80 women came forward to say that Weinstein either sexually harassed, assaulted or raped them. They claimed that these incidents have been going on for decades.
The producer formed Miramax and delivered award-winning U.K. and U.S. production collaborations like Shakespeare In Love and The English Patient. Actress Meryl Streep once called Weinstein a "God" during the 2012 Golden Globes Awards.
Meanwhile, a royal commentator believes that it's only a matter of time before Queen Elizabeth will also strip her son, Prince Andrew, of his royal title. Nigel Cawthorne, who wrote the book Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace said that the Duke of York could be the next person to lose his HRH (His Royal Highness).
It comes amid reports that Prince Andrew was told that he will not take part in Prince Philip's 100th birthday celebration in June 2021 and that he should not prepare his speech. Cawthorne said that the Duke of Edinburgh's decision to exclude his son was difficult since he is fond of Prince Andrew.
However, Buckingham Palace is apparently greatly aware that the royal family needs to distance from the Queen's son as accusations of his sexual misconduct still hover over. Cawthorne believes that this is crucial to the survival of the monarchy.
