Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will remain eighth in line to the British throne, Wonderwall.com can report, as parliamentary clerks drawing up a bill to have him removed have revealed there is no precedent on which to base the move.
Sources have explained that efforts to pluck the disgraced former Duke of York from the line of succession would upend a 1701 law ensuring all descendants of the Electress Sophia of Hanover are included by birthright.
The former Prince Andrew falls into that category.
“Those trying to sign off a bill to get Andrew kicked out of the line of succession are now awaiting advice from King Charles III on whether they can remove him as one entity or whether it will involve a proposal that will also lead to his entire family being withdrawn,” an insider told Wonderwall.com.
“It is just proving too complex, time-consuming, and the reality is, it will lead to Andrew staying a royal, titles or not.”
A constitutional crisis
Disgraced former royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains eighth in line to the throne. By: MEGA
Charles stripped his brother of his royal titles in late 2025 amid growing scrutiny over his ties to convicted predator Jeffrey Epstein.
U.K. officials have confirmed that they’re exploring options to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession, acknowledging any formal change would require agreement not only in Parliament but across 14 other Commonwealth realms.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also previously said the U.K. government is “looking at options in relation to succession” and could act when the current police investigation into the ex-royal’s behavior concludes.
Police investigation expands
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing concerning his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. By: MEGA
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office weeks after the U.S. Justice Department released emails suggesting he had passed along sensitive government documents to Epstein while serving as Britain’s trade envoy.
In recent days, Britain’s The Times revealed that law enforcement agencies are expanding their probe. He is now being investigated for other possible corruption offenses as well as alleged trafficking ties to the disgraced financier, police sources told the newspaper.
A recent YouGov poll showed that 82 percent of Britons believe the ex-royal should be removed from the line of succession, with just six percent saying he should remain.
Senior Conservative Member of Parliament Andrew Bowie has said it would be “the decent thing” for Andrew to step aside voluntarily, adding, “Of course, if he’s found guilty of this, I think Parliament would be well within its rights to act to remove him from the line of succession. But let’s remember, he’s not been found guilty of anything just yet — he has yet to be charged with anything.”
What needs to happen before removal is possible
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles by brother King Charles III in late 2025. By: MEGA
Experts have warned that the constitutional reality of a removal is far more complex than many realize.
Under 1931’s Statute of Westminster, any change to the rules of royal succession must be agreed upon by all the Commonwealth realms where Charles is head of state.
It means identical legislation would need to pass not only in the U.K.’s Parliament but in Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.
So far, the prime ministers of Australia, New Zealand and Canada have all publicly confirmed their governments would back any proposal to strip the ex-Duke of York of his place in line.
But according to a constitutional scholar, more realms would have to agree.
“This is not simply a matter of [members of Parliament] voting in London. It would require coordinated legislative action across multiple sovereign nations. Each realm would need to amend its own laws or constitutional arrangements. That is a time-consuming and politically delicate exercise. Basically, it would trigger a global mess,” the scholar said.
A U.K. parliamentary source added, “There is understandable public anger over keeping Andrew in the line of succession, but the mechanics are formidable. You would need political will not just in Britain, but across the Commonwealth, to remove him. Some realms might question why they should devote parliamentary time to an individual so far removed from the reality of him ascending to the throne.”
‘Without fear or favor’
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has remained out of the public eye since his February arrest, which took place on his 66th birthday. By: MEGA
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said members of Parliament may have to consider the issue “when the time is right,” but stressed that “the most important thing right now is that the police be allowed to get on with their job, acting without fear or favor.”
According to a palace source, “For now, Andrew remains in the line of succession by operation of law — and disentangling him from it would require not just domestic resolve but a coordinated constitutional effort spanning continents.
“But his place in the line is far more symbolic than anything attached to reality. It would take huge tragedies to happen to remove those in line ahead of him within Andrew’s lifetime to make it a possibility he will ever actually sit on the throne, so discussions about removing him are really null and void.”