The Australian government has confirmed it would support any proposal to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer offering Australia's backing as the UK considers legislation to strip the former prince of his right to inherit the throne.
Mountbatten-Windsor, eighth in line to the throne, relinquished his royal titles in October after new information emerged about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and child sex offender. He was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Removing him from the succession requires an act of the UK parliament and support from the 14 Commonwealth realms where King Charles III is head of state, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In his letter, Albanese stated: 'I agree with His Majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation.'
Buckingham Palace has indicated it would not oppose the move. King Charles said after his brother's arrest that 'the law must take its course.' Albanese described the arrest as an 'extraordinary fall from grace' for the former prince, but said it would not prompt a new referendum on an Australian head of state.
