Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly called for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew to be removed from the British royal line of succession, adding Canada’s voice to a growing Commonwealth consensus that his Epstein-linked conduct disqualifies him from any place in the monarchy’s order of succession.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo at the end of a ten-day Indo-Pacific tour, Carney said: “I certainly think his actions are deplorable and have caused him to be stripped of his royal titles. It merits, necessitates is a better word — his removal from the line of succession. Even though he is well down the line, the point of principle stands.”
Carney’s remarks come amid rapidly escalating legal troubles for the former royal. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is under investigation for alleged misconduct in public office following revelations about his dealings with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was arrested and released in February on suspicion of having passed confidential information to Epstein during his 2001–2011 role as the UK’s trade envoy. He has denied all wrongdoing.
Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, claimed she was trafficked three times to have sex with the former royal, starting in 2001, twice when she was 17. Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability.
Removing Andrew from the line of succession is far from straightforward. As it stands, Prince William is next in line, followed by his son Prince George. Andrew is currently eighth in line to the throne. Any change to the line of succession would require an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom and the agreement of all 14 Commonwealth realms that recognise King Charles III as head of state.
The prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand had previously said they would support the UK government in any plans to remove Andrew, making Canada’s declaration on Saturday the most significant alignment of Commonwealth realms on the issue yet.
The UK government has not yet indicated whether it intends to introduce legislation to formally remove Andrew from the succession.
