With calls intensifying for the former prince to be officially removed from the royal line of succession, the path to the crown will look very different if he is removed
Calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be officially removed from the royal line of succession have intensified in recent days, after he was arrested on his 66th birthday last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The day after the arrest, prime minister Keir Starmer announced that plans would be discussed to remove Andrew from the line of succession, with sources suggesting the government will begin consultation after the conclusion of multiple police investigations into allegations surrounding Andrew’s conduct. The disgraced former prince can only be removed from the line of succession by an Act of Parliament after agreement with the 14 British realms.
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Andrew is currently eighth in line to the throne after Princes William and Harry and their children, with Princess Beatrice being ninth in line. If Andrew were to be removed, it is likely that Beatrice and her children, and the other members of the Royal Family who come in behind the princess, will be moved up by one place.
Beatrice would take over her father’s position as eighth in line, with her eldest daughter Sienna becoming ninth in line to the throne. Andrew is still a counsellor of state, consisting of a select group of adult royals who could be named to fill in for the monarch if he was ill or abroad.
Despite still holding this title, it would be impossible for the former prince to step into this role, as only working royals are used meaning both Andrew and Prince Harry are surplus to requirements.
After Starmer’s announcement, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese pledged his support, saying in a statement: “In light of recent events concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, I am writing to confirm that my Government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession.”
“I agree with His Majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation. These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously.”
Any changes to the line of succession require the agreement of other countries which share the UK monarch. The 14 Commonwealth countries where King Charles is head of state are Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, joined a chorus of voices saying Andrew’s place in the line of royal succession was something Parliament was “going to have to consider when the time is right”.
“The most important thing right now is that the police be allowed to get on with their job, acting without fear or favour,” Sir Ed said. “But clearly this is an issue that Parliament is going to have to consider when the time is right, naturally the monarchy will want to make sure he can never become king.”
Recent YouGov polling shows the majority of Britons (82%) think the former prince should be removed from the line of succession, with just 6% believing he should not. Various MPs and party leaders have called for a full statutory inquiry following the arrest, with some demanding a debate on the future of the monarchy.
Detectives will continue to search Andrew’s former home Royal Lodge in Windsor following his release from custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was held on Thursday morning after allegations were made against him following the release of files related to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing over his Epstein links, but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.
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