The British government is considering the possibility of legally excluding the former Prince Andrew – brother of Charles III – from the line of succession to the throne in order to protect the reputation of the monarchy, reports the BBC. Defence Secretary Luke Pollard stressed that such an initiative was necessary regardless of the progress of the police investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties to financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“This is the right step. We must act now to ensure the stability of the institution, as the world is watching this case,” Luke Pollard said on the BBC.
The situation surrounding the member of the royal family escalated after his detention and interrogation lasting 11 hours on suspicion of abuse of power, after which he was released under investigation. Despite this, Andrew continues to deny any accusations, although political pressure on Downing Street to finally deprive him of his hereditary rights has noticeably increased.
To implement the government’s plan, the British Parliament will have to change the provisions of the Succession Act, which is considered a rather rare legal procedure in the country’s modern history. The initiative aims to distance the monarchy from the scandals that have accompanied Andrew’s activities in recent years, and permanently exclude him from official state life.
