Will Andrew Be Removed From Royal Line of Succession? How It Could Happen

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may be removed from the line of succession to the British Royal Family under proposals reportedly being discussed by the British Government—though not before the outcome of a police investigation.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by Thames Valley Police on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in a public office over allegations he shared confidential documents with Jeffrey Epstein while a U.K. trade envoy. Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied wrong doing.

King Charles III stripped Mountbatten-Windsor, his brother, of his royal titles in October in the face of growing public anger over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

However, he was not removed from the line of succession, a far more complex process that requires the support of countries around the world that count the British Monarch as king.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly now considering this step following the release of the Epstein Files by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2026.

Why It Matters

Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of rape in a New York lawsuit which they settled for an undisclosed sum in 2022. Mountbatten-Windsor denied liability.

Giuffre’s first newspaper interview was in February 2011 and said she was flown by Epstein to London to meet Mountbatten-Windsor in 2001.

For eight years Mountbatten-Windsor continued as a working royal before stepping back from public life after a car crash BBC interview in 2019. Mountbatten-Windsor remained a prince for another six years before Charles stripped his brother of his titles in October.

The police investigation is yet to run its course and prosecutors have made no decision about whether Mountbatten-Windsor will be charged—but pressure is mounting for the Government and Monarchy to go further still be removing him from the line of succession.

How Removing Andrew Would Work

If the plan to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession goes ahead, Starmer will need the support of the 14 countries outside Britain that recognize Charles as their king. These are known as Commonwealth Realms.

These include: Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confirm Australia would support such a move, the first realm to do so.

There would then need to be an Act of Parliament passed in Britain to change the Line of Succession, however, even if that support is given the legislation may not arrive any time soon.

Why the British Government Won’t Act Now

Starmer’s government is reportedly considering removing Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession but has indicated that it will wait until the police investigation has run its course.

James Murray, chief secretary to the Treasury, a U.K. Government finance position, told Sky News: “The government is considering any further steps that might be required, and we’re not ruling anything out. But at this stage, it would be inappropriate for us to go any further because there is a live police investigation underway.”

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in a public office but released under investigation with no decision yet made on whether to charge him with an offense.

Police have been reviewing the Epstein Files, which contain more than 3.5 million documents so far released publicly and millions more deemed unfit for public consumption.

Officers from Thames Valley Police also searched Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor, and new home, Wood Farm, on the Sandringham Estate, and will have recovered material there that they will also want to search.

They may also want to interview witnesses. In other words, it may be a lengthy process to determine whether Mountbatten-Windsor will be charged or not.

If he is at some stage released with no further action, then the Government might be able to move forward with legislation at that stage but if he is charged then that will initiate a court process.

And if Mountbatten-Windsor were to plead not guilty that would mean a trial, further extending the timeline for when a final outcome to the investigation might arrive.

In reality, if the Government does stick by the principle that it must wait until after the police process has concluded then it could easily be months or even years before legislation to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession is brought to the U.K. House of Commons.

Who Is In the Line of Succession

First born heirs have primacy in the line of succession meaning Prince William is the next in line to the British throne followed by his three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Prince Harry comes next as King Charles second born son, and “spare” to Prince William. Harry’s children with Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, come next and only then does the list expand to include King Charles’ siblings, starting with Mountbatten-Windsor and followed by his eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice and her children.

The British Government may need to decide whether to also remove his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their children.

That gives a line of succession top ten list as follows:

1. Prince William, the Prince of Wales

2. Prince George of Wales

3. Princess Charlotte of Wales

4. Prince Louis of Wales

5. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex

6. Prince Archie of Sussex

7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex

8. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

9. Princess Beatrice

10. Miss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi

What Happens Next

Mountbatten-Windsor remains under police investigation on suspicion of misconduct in a public office in Britain and no decision has yet been made about whether to charge him with an offense.