New Zealand has become the second Commonwealth country to back the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
A spokesperson for New Zealand’s prime minister, Christopher Luxon, said on Tuesday: “If the UK government proposes to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession, New Zealand would support it.” Luxon later told the media that his government had been in contact with the UK Cabinet Office.
“The bottom line is no one is above the law and once that investigation is closed, should the UK government decide to remove him from the line of succession, that is something we would support,” he said. The statement followed Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirming in a letter to his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, on Monday that he would support the removal.
Andrew is eighth in line to the throne despite relinquishing his royal titles in October after new information emerged about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and child sex offender. He has not been charged with any criminal offence and has always denied wrongdoing.
The British government is poised to consider laws to strip Andrew of his right to inherit the throne once a police investigation is finalised. Removing him from the line of succession would require an act of the UK parliament and the support of the 14 Commonwealth countries where King Charles is head of state.
