Buckingham Palace is reportedly not planning to oppose initiatives to remove Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles, from the line of succession, according to The Guardian. Meanwhile, police confirmed that security checks at his former Windsor residence will continue over the weekend.
Royal sources indicated on Saturday that King Charles will not block Parliament if it decides to ensure that the former prince can never ascend to the throne.
Background on Prince Andrew
Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of misconduct in public office, currently remains eighth in line to the throne, despite having all royal titles stripped and being relieved of official duties.
His arrest follows the release of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice, which allege that Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential government information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and others, while acting as a UK trade envoy.
Previous Controversies
- Prince Andrew ceased official royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous Newsnight interview, where he refused to apologize for his ongoing association with Epstein.
- In 2022, he paid approximately £12 million in a settlement to Epstein’s alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she had been trafficked to Mountbatten-Windsor by Epstein. Andrew has denied Giuffre’s allegations, and the payment was made without admission of liability.
This development signals that the royal family may accept parliamentary action to formally remove Prince Andrew from the line of succession, a historic step for the House of Windsor.
