The Australian government has confirmed it would support any proposal to remove Prince Andrew from the royal line of succession, following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to offer Australia's backing as the UK considers laws to strip the former prince of his right to inherit the throne.
Prince Andrew is currently 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 remains a counsellor of state, though in practice only working royals are used for this role.
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 III is head of state, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In his letter, Albanese stated: 'In light of recent events concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, I am writing to confirm that my government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession.'
The Guardian has reported that Buckingham Palace would not stand in the way of such plans. 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' but said it would not prompt another referendum on Australia becoming a republic.
