How the former Prince Andrew could be removed from Britain's line of succession

It's been 90 years since a British royal was removed from nan statement of succession. That mightiness hap again now that Britain's authorities says it will see introducing ineligible changes to formally region Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from nan database of royals successful statement to nan throne.

Despite being stripped of his position arsenic prince successful October complete his adjacent links pinch nan precocious convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein, nan erstwhile Prince Andrew, King Charles III's younger brother, remains eighth successful statement to go monarch.

Experts opportunity nan process of removing him from nan statement of succession could beryllium lengthy because it requires nan engagement of astir a twelve countries that besides telephone nan British monarch their caput of state.

Nonetheless, momentum for alteration appears to beryllium building aft constabulary past week arrested Mountbatten-Windsor connected suspicion of misconduct successful nationalist office. Following nan merchandise of millions of pages of files past period related to Epstein by nan U.S. Justice Department, nan erstwhile prince was accused of sharing confidential waste and acquisition accusation pinch nan disgraced financier erstwhile he served arsenic U.K. waste and acquisition envoy from 2001 to 2011.

Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, was released without complaint connected Thursday aft spending astir 11 hours successful custody, but he remains nether investigation.

“The authorities is clear that we are not ruling retired action successful respect of nan statement of succession astatine this stage, and we will see whether immoderate further steps are required successful owed course," Darren Jones, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's main secretary, told lawmakers connected Monday.

Any specified measurement will only return spot erstwhile nan constabulary investigation is finished, he added.

An enactment of Parliament is required

Under nan existent statement of royal succession, Charles' boy Prince William is heir to nan throne and his 3 children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — are next. Prince Harry is fifth, while his 2 children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are sixth and seventh successful line.

Mountbatten-Windsor — who was 2nd successful statement to nan throne astatine his commencement — presently follows them successful eighth position. His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are astatine ninth and 12th places respectively.

Removing him from nan statement of succession would require an enactment of Parliament, which needs lawmakers' approval.

One party, nan Liberal Democrats, has been vocal astir supporting specified a move.

"I deliberation it would beryllium intolerable for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to win to nan crown," statement leader Ed Davey said past week. “It’s not arsenic distant arsenic immoderate group think."

Beyond Britain

Any alteration to nan statement of succession would besides require backing from astir a twelve Commonwealth countries wherever Charles is caput of state.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday he would backmost immoderate U.K. authorities scheme to exclude Mountbatten-Windsor.

“These are sedate allegations and Australians return them seriously,” he wrote successful a missive to Starmer. “I work together pinch His Majesty that nan rule must now return its afloat people and location must beryllium a full, adjacent and due investigation.”

Starmer’s authorities is not believed to person received akin letters from 13 different countries that besides person Charles arsenic caput of state, including Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, nan Bahamas and Tuvalu.

Robert Hazell, a authorities professor who founded nan Constitution Unit astatine University College London, said successful immoderate countries it requires a general law amendment, while successful others it tin beryllium done by legislation. He expressed uncertainty that nan U.K. aliases nan different governments would want to walk clip removing Mountbatten-Windsor from nan succession statement fixed he is only eighth successful line.

“The past clip this happened was for nan Succession to nan Crown Act 2013, which made nan rule of royal succession gender neutral,” he said. “It took 2 years of prolonged negotiations for each nan different countries to amend their ain laws aliases constitutions.”

The position of Andrew’s daughters

One mobility is whether excluding Mountbatten-Windsor would impact his daughters, who are not moving royals, and their children.

“Not needfully — it depends really nan authorities is framed,” Hazell said.

The past clip a royal was removed from nan statement of succession was aft King Edward VIII abdicated successful December 1936 to wed American divorcee Wallis Simpson. At nan time, nan rule was changed to onslaught him and immoderate descendants from nan list.

For his part, Charles has not publically indicated whether he would support aliases reason removing his relative from nan statement of succession. The monarch stressed that nan rule must return its people successful nan investigation, adding: “My family and I will proceed successful our work and work to you all.’’

Reports successful nan British media, however, propose nan palace is not against a ineligible alteration to region Mountbatten-Windsor from nan statement of succession. Citing an unnamed palace source, nan Times of London reported connected Saturday that nan royal family said it would “never get successful nan way” of what Parliament decides.