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Australia supports UK move to exclude Prince Andrew from throne
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has formally notified UK counterpart Sir Keir Starmer that Canberra would endorse legislation to remove Prince Andrew from the line of succession, following his arrest last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Albanese's letter confirms government stance
In a written message to Starmer, Albanese stated that his administration "would agree to any proposal to remove" Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line. The letter underscored Australia's view that "the law must now take its full course" and that allegations against the former prince warrant "a full, fair and proper investigation."
"These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously," Albanese wrote.
Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister
Legal hurdles and Commonwealth consensus
Excluding Andrew from succession would require an Act of Parliament in the UK, backed by all 14 Commonwealth realms where King Charles III serves as head of state. Canada, Jamaica, and New Zealand are among the nations whose approval would be necessary. The last comparable removal occurred in 1936, when Edward VIII and his descendants were struck from the line after his abdication.
A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed receipt of Albanese's letter but declined to specify next steps, citing the ongoing police inquiry. "Given the live investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further," the spokesperson said.
Arrest and investigation details
Thames Valley Police detained Andrew at 08:00 GMT on Thursday at Sandringham, the King's Norfolk estate where he has resided since vacating Royal Lodge in Windsor earlier this month. Officers released him after 11 hours but continued their probe, conducting searches at both Sandringham and Windsor over the weekend.
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing, including allegations linked to his association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace has not issued a public statement regarding the potential succession change.
Political reactions and next steps
UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard called the removal "the right thing to do," irrespective of the investigation's outcome. Treasury Chief Secretary James Murray acknowledged the legal complexity but stressed that the police process must "play out" first.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage urged caution, arguing Parliament should await the police findings before acting. "We must avoid a trial by media," he said.
King Charles, speaking after his brother's arrest, reiterated his support for "the full, fair and proper process" of the investigation.
