Trouble with former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continues to mount as the British government now considers introducing legislation to remove him from the line of royal succession, the BBC has reported.
The British Defense Secretary supports this move
British Defense Secretary Luke Pollard said on Friday (local time) that the move to prevent Andrew from becoming king was “the right thing to do”, regardless of the outcome of the police investigation.
The Defense Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions that the UK government was “absolutely” working with Buckingham Palace on plans to prevent Andrew from being “potentially removed from the throne”.
He added that it was “something that I hope will have cross-party support, but it is only right that it happens after the police investigation has concluded”.
Andrew’s current position in the line of succession
Andrew is currently eighth in line to become king, despite being stripped of his titles, including “prince”, a decision which King Charles III he accepted in October 2025 after his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein made headlines.
Read also | Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested for misconduct in public office
Andrew’s time as trade envoy under fire
The UK Defense Secretary’s comments come just days after Andrew was arrested by Thames Police after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released millions of Epstein-related documents confirming his correspondence with Andrew during his time as a trade envoy. The latest tranche of documents was released on January 30, consisting of emails, photos and videos.
One such email revealed that in November 2010, when Andrew returned from a government trip to Asia, he received documents relating to the trip, which he immediately shared with Epstein, prompting Thames Police to get involved.
Read also | Here is a list of former Prince Andrew controversies
In another correspondence dated 24 December 2010, the former prince sent the convicted pedophile a confidential briefing on investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, which was undergoing reconstruction at the time. The reconstruction was supervised by the British armed forces and was funded by the British government.
However, Andrew was released on Thursday (local time), within 11 hours of his arrest, and continues to deny any wrongdoing. Thames Valley Police, the force that arrested him, will continue to search Royal Lodge, his former residence, until Monday (local time).
Read also | Andrew released, remains under investigation for misconduct in public office
Parliament supports the removal of Andrew
The proposal to remove Andrew from the line of succession comes after several Members of Parliament (MPs), including the Lib Dems and the SNP, indicated their support for such legislation. Some Labor MPs who are critical of the monarchy have said they are less convinced the law is needed, in part because Andrew’s accession to the throne is unlikely.
If the proposal passes, making the change would require an Act of Parliament which, in addition to the royal assent of King Charles III. both MPs and colleagues had to nod. It would also require the consent of the 14 Commonwealth territories where Charles III serves as head of state, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
When was the last time the line of succession changed?
Previously, the line of succession was amended by the UK Parliament in 2013, when the Crown Act Succession Act reinstated persons who had been disqualified for marrying a Catholic. The last removal from the line of succession occurred in 1936, when Edward VIII and his descendants were excluded following his abdication.
In 2019, Mountbatten-Windsor stepped down from his duties following his infamous interview with the BBC where he spoke about his relationship with Epstein.