Buckingham Palace will not oppose a legislative change to exclude former Prince Andrew from the line of succession
Buckingham Palace will not oppose possible legislative steps to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession to the throne of Great Britain, in the context of the ongoing criminal investigation, according to royal sources cited by the British press.
The government has held preliminary talks with Buckingham Palace. PHOTO: Shutterstock
Sources close to the Royal House, quoted by The Guardian, said that King Charles would not stand in the way of Parliament if it decided to change the legislation to ensure that the former prince could never ascend the throne. Currently, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is eighth in the line of succession, despite having been stripped of royal titles and all official duties.
His exclusion from the line of succession would require a new law, which would have to be passed by the House of Commons and the House of Lords, receive royal assent and be approved by the 14 Commonwealth states where the king is head of state.
Historic arrest and links to Jeffrey Epstein
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested this week on suspicion of abuse of office. Police have confirmed that inquiries will continue over the weekend. He was questioned for approximately 11 hours on the very day he turned 66, and was later released under investigation, without travel restrictions. He is the first member of the British royal family to be arrested in over 350 years.
The arrest came after the US Department of Justice released documents suggesting he may have passed confidential government information to Jeffrey Epstein and other associates while serving as Britain's trade envoy.
Former Prince Andrew stepped down as an active member of the royal family in 2019 following a controversial interview with BBC Newsnight in which he refused to apologize for his relationship with Epstein.
Financial settlement and charges denied
In 2022, the former Duke of York paid an estimated £12 million financial settlement to Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims who claimed she was trafficked to Mountbatten-Windsor. He denied the charges and the payment was made without admitting guilt.
Although he was stripped of his last royal titles at the end of last year, amid the emergence of new information about his links with Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains officially a counselor of state – a role considered purely formal, since only active members of the royal family are called to replace the king.
The government is analyzing the amendment of the law
British ministers have confirmed that the government has held preliminary talks with Buckingham Palace about a possible legislative change after the inquiry is completed. Officials stressed, however, that any decision should be made only after criminal investigations are completed.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has refused to comment on recent developments and has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to his relationship with Epstein.
