The BBC reports that Staff at The City Hospital were disciplined after a plaque marking its formal opening by the Duke of York went missing. From the article:
The plaque sparked an investigation by health officials after it was removed without permission from Belfast City Hospital in January 2022.
It came after Prince Andrew faced civil action in the US over sexual assault allegations – claims he has denied.
The Belfast Trust said the plaque has since been recovered, staff “behaviours” were addressed “in accordance with trust disciplinary procedures,” and no decision has been made on reinstating the plaque.
Prince Andrew officially opened the Belfast City Hospital tower in June 1986, and a plaque marking the occasion was placed near the front entrance.
It went missing after the Duke of York was sued by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged he sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was 17.
The case was settled out of court without Prince Andrew accepting liability, but he agreed to pay an unspecified amount to Ms Giuffre and to her charity for victims’ rights.
Amid the controversy, his military titles and royal patronages were returned to the late Elizabeth II.
At the time, the Belfast Trust said the plaque was removed “without direction” and it had launched an investigation “into its whereabouts”.
In a statement, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said no decision had been made on reinstating the plaque at the city hospital.
“A thorough investigation was carried out by Belfast Trust, and action was taken to address staff behaviours in accordance with trust disciplinary procedures,” a spokesman said.
“A decision has not yet been made regarding the plaque, and it remains in storage.”
I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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