UK may pass law to remove ex-prince Andrew from royal succession.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
- The British government is considering legislation to remove Andrew from the line of succession following police investigations into his conduct.
- Public outrage grows as Andrew faces scrutiny over ties to Jeffrey Epstein and alleged misconduct during his trade envoy role.
- Police are conducting extensive searches and questioning Andrew’s former protection officers about their knowledge of his activities.
The British government on Friday mulled passing a law to remove former prince Andrew from the line of succession, as police stepped up investigations into his conduct, quizzing the disgraced royal’s former protection officers.
Amid a torrent of often tawdry revelations from the files of late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, King Charles III has already stripped his younger brother of all his titles and ousted him from his home in Windsor.
But the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II remains eighth in line to the British throne after Princess Lilibet, the daughter of his nephew, Prince Harry.
The government would consider introducing legislation to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession once the police investigation is over, sources told AFP.
The former prince was arrested on Thursday at his new home on the king’s remote Sandringham estate in eastern Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Public outrage has grown over past months amid a daily drip of information about Andrew’s cosy ties to Epstein, and his apparent sharing of confidential information when he was a UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
READ | Epstein offered ex-prince Andrew meeting with Russian woman: files
A YouGov poll conducted after Thursday’s arrest – an unprecedented act against the royal family in the modern era – showed 82 percent believed he should be removed from his place in line to the throne.
Police on Friday conducted a second day of searches at his former home, the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge in Windsor. These are expected to continue through the weekend.
London’s Metropolitan police force said it was seeking information from officers “close” to Andrew about “anything” they “saw or heard during that period of service that may be relevant to our ongoing reviews”.
It was also separately working with US authorities to “assess” allegations that multiple flights linked to Epstein helped traffic girls and women in and out of London airports.
At least nine British police forces have confirmed they are looking into claims – many related to Andrew – stemming from the latest batch of some three million Epstein files released by the US government last month.
Mountbatten-Windsor – who was marking his 66th birthday when arrested – was nowhere to be seen on Friday after 11 hours in police custody.
READ | UK police search as royals reel: Andrew’s arrest sparks monarchy crisis
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with more information.
