The Australian government has confirmed it would support any proposal to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession, following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to offer Australia's backing as the UK considers legislation to strip the former prince of his right to inherit the throne.
Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke of York, is currently eighth in line to the throne, despite relinquishing his royal titles in October 2022 after revelations about his links to Jeffrey Epstein. He remains a counsellor of state, though in practice only working royals are called upon to deputise for the monarch.
Removing him from the line of succession requires an act of the UK parliament and the support of the 14 Commonwealth realms where King Charles III is head of state. 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.' He added that Australians take the allegations seriously.
Buckingham Palace has indicated it would not oppose such plans, and King Charles has said 'the law must take its course'. Albanese described Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest as an 'extraordinary fall from grace' but ruled out a new referendum on Australia becoming a republic, noting the 1999 vote fell short of approval.
In 2011, then-PM David Cameron secured Commonwealth support for changes to succession rules, ending male primogeniture and the ban on heirs marrying Roman Catholics.
