THE UK government on Friday considered passing a law to remove former prince Andrew from the line of succession, as police continued investigating his conduct and questioned his former protection officers.
King Charles has already stripped his younger brother of his titles and removed him from his home in Windsor following revelations linked to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II remains eighth in line to the throne after Princess Lilibet, the daughter of his nephew Prince Harry.
Sources told AFP that the government would consider introducing legislation to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession once the police investigation is over.
The former prince was arrested on Thursday at his new home on the king’s Sandringham estate in eastern Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Public anger has increased over information about Andrew’s ties to Epstein and his alleged sharing of confidential information when he was a UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
A YouGov poll conducted after Thursday’s arrest showed 82 per cent believed he should be removed from his place in line to the throne.
Police on Friday carried out a second day of searches at his former home, the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge in Windsor. The searches are expected to continue through the weekend.
London’s Metropolitan Police said it was seeking information from officers “close” to Andrew about “anything” they “saw or heard during that period of service that may be relevant to our ongoing reviews”.
The force said it was also working with US authorities to “assess” allegations that multiple flights linked to Epstein helped traffic girls and women in and out of London airports.
At least nine British police forces have confirmed they are examining claims, many related to Andrew, stemming from around three million Epstein files released by the US government last month.
Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on the day of his arrest, was not seen on Friday after spending 11 hours in police custody.
Britain’s newspapers carried front-page photographs of Andrew leaving a Norfolk police station in a car late Thursday.
Charles issued a signed statement saying “the law must take its course” and continued with official duties.
Royal expert Ed Owens said, “I think the great challenge for the monarchy in the coming weeks, months, possibly longer, is the various unknowns in this particular crisis moment.”
Any charges or a trial could take time as investigations continue.
Changing the line of succession would also take time, as it requires an Act of Parliament.
Robert Hazell of University College London said, “Before the line of succession could be changed, it would require all 14 countries, where King Charles is also their head of state, as well as the UK, to change the law of succession.”
Mountbatten-Windsor is unpopular among Britons.
Jo Mortimer, 64, from Aylsham in Norfolk, said, “I’m really pleased that nobody’s above the law.”
A November 2010 email from US documents, seen by AFP, showed Mountbatten-Windsor sharing reports on his visit to several Asian countries with Epstein, along with communications about investment possibilities.
Epstein had been convicted in the United States in 2008 of child prostitution.
Official guidance is believed to require trade envoys to keep sensitive commercial or political information from official visits confidential.
The former prince has denied wrongdoing.
Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, wrote in her memoir that she had been trafficked three times to have sex with Andrew, twice when she was 17.
The former prince settled a US civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability.
(With inputs from agencies)
