The British government is considering excluding Andrew from the line of succession to the throne
King Charles III (right) and his brother Andrew Photo: Adrian Dennis / AFP / Profimedia
The government would consider passing a law to disqualify Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from inheriting the throne after any police investigation is completed, according to information that has appeared in the public domain, according to The Guardian. Several politicians have called for the former prince to be removed from the line of succession after he was arrested and questioned by detectives on Thursday on suspicion of abuse of office for sending confidential government documents to financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew is still eighth in line to the throne, behind Princes William and Harry and their children, despite relinquishing his royal titles in October after new information emerged about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier convicted of child sex offenses.
This means that Andrew remains a State Counsellor, part of the group of adult members of the Royal Family who can be appointed to stand in for King Charles if he is ill or out of the country, even though in practice this would not happen as only active members of the Royal Family are used.
His removal from the line of succession would require a law to be passed by Parliament, as well as the consultation and agreement of the other countries and territories that share the monarchy. According to the information that has emerged, there are firm plans for this to happen after the investigation is completed.
British police raided Royal Lodge, one of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's residences, on Friday in the investigation into his arrest on Thursday and release 10 hours later.
Millions of documents released last month by the US government showed he remained friends with Epstein long after the financier was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
According to the files, Mountbatten-Windsor gave Epstein British government reports on investment opportunities in Afghanistan and assessments of Vietnam, Singapore and other places he visited as the government's special representative for trade and investment.
King Charles: 'The law must take its course'
The arrest of Andrew, eighth in line to the throne, is unprecedented in modern times. The last member of the royal family to be arrested in Britain was Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 after being found guilty of treason.
King Charles, who stripped his brother of his princely title and forced him out of his Windsor residence last year, said on Thursday he had learned of the arrest with “the deepest concern”.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” the king said. “What now follows is a full, fair and proper process whereby this matter will be properly investigated and by the appropriate authorities.”
Neither King Charles nor Buckingham Palace were informed in advance that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was to be arrested, according to the BBC.
