UK Considers Stripping Ex-Prince Andrew of Royal Succession After Arrest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into custody on Thursday, February 19, under suspicion of improper conduct in a public position.

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The UK government is exploring the possibility of excluding former Prince Andrew from the royal succession line.
Reports that the government could take steps to remove Andrew emerged following his arrest on February 19 on charges of misconduct in office.
Law enforcement is looking into Andrew regarding a claim that he provided secret information to Jeffrey Epstein; Andrew has repeatedly denied any improper actions involving Epstein.

The UK government could potentially take steps to remove the formerPrince Andrewfrom the line of succession for the throne after his arrest.

The administration is evaluating the possibility of enacting a law to exclude the former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, fromthe order of succession to the royal throne the line of inheritance for the monarchy the sequence of heirs to the crown the hierarchy of royal succession the order of succession within the royal family the list of individuals entitled to the throne the progression of royal heirs the chain of command for the monarchy the order in which the royal title is passed down the lineage of those who can inherit the crown, thereby stopping him from ever becoming king, theBBCreported on Saturday, February 21, two days following Andrew's arrest on charges of improper conduct in office.

If the law is passed, it will happen once the police inquiry into Andrew, 66, has finished, as reported by the source.

Andrew is still part of the succession line.even though he lost his royal titles, honors, and public position in 2025.

As the second child ofQueen Elizabeth, Andrew was second in the line of succession at the time of his birth, following his older brother,King Charles. At 77, Charles welcomed children and grandchildren, causing Andrew to drop in the succession order, and he is now eighth behindPrince Harry's two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

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Prince Edward's younger brother wasdetained on Thursday, February 19— his 66th birthday — under suspicion of improper conduct in a public office. The former Duke of York was taken into custody at the residence where he is currently living on the Sandringham estate.

Law enforcement is looking into Andrew's claim that he provided secret information to the deceased billionaire and former sex offender.Jeffrey Epsteinwhile serving as a trade representative for the United Kingdom, a role he maintained from 2001 to 2011.

The detention occurred 10 days following aBBC report that authorities were examining an allegation that Andrew provided secret documents to Epsteinwhen he held the role, which he took on after leaving the Royal Navy.

On the day his brother was arrested on February 19, the Kingissued a statement promising that the palace would assist the policeduring the inquiry. recognizes thatThe Palace was not notified The royal residence was not made aware They were not informed of the situation The official residence was kept in the dark The palace was not given any notice The royal family was not alerted The location was not advised The establishment was not informed The site was not notified The building was not made awareprior to the arrest

Andrew's connection with Epstein began to push him away from the public eye in November 2019, and he has continually denied any misconduct concerning the late financier. Epstein took his own life while in jail in 2019, just as he was about to be charged with federal sex trafficking offenses.

Eliminating Andrew from the line of succession would need a parliamentary act, along with approval from the 14 Commonwealth countries where King Charles serves as monarch, as reported by the BBC. Downing Street has previously stated that there are no intentions to propose legislation altering the line of succession, according to the report.

Although uncommon, it is not unheard of for a member of the royal family to be removed from the line of succession.

King Edward VIII stepped down from the line of succession in 1936 when he gave up the throne, later becoming the Duke of Windsor. Prince Michael of Kent was also taken out of the line of succession in 1978 after marrying a Catholic, following the rules set by the Act of Settlement from 1701. Nevertheless, Michael was brought back into the line of succession through the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act.

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