Defence Minister Luke Pollard became the first senior Cabinet Minister to support calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be removed from the line of royal succession, stating it is the right thing to do while he is eighth in line. The government is actively considering legislation to remove his right of succession once the police investigation concludes.
Key points
- Luke Pollard, the Labour MP and Defence Minister, made the comments on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions programme.
- Removing Andrew would require an Act of Parliament and the support of 14 Commonwealth realms where the King is Head of State, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray confirmed the government is considering necessary steps but is not ruling anything out due to the live police investigation.
- The police investigation stems from findings in correspondence belonging to American financier Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting Andrew may have improperly shared details from an official trade mission.
Why it matters
This represents a significant escalation of political pressure on Number 10, as a senior Cabinet Minister has publicly endorsed removing a member of the Royal Family from the line of succession.
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