Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Prince Andrew should be removed from the line of succession to the British throne, citing what he described as the royal’s “deplorable” conduct.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is reportedly under investigation for alleged misconduct in public office following revelations about his links to the late American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He was arrested and later released in February on suspicion of sharing confidential information with Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.
“There is a process to do it, but I certainly believe his actions, which are deplorable and have already led to him being stripped of his royal titles, warrant his removal from the line of succession,” Carney told reporters during a visit to Tokyo. The Canadian prime minister was in Japan for talks with his counterpart, Sanae Takaichi.
Prince Andrew, who lost his royal titles last year amid controversy over his alleged association with Epstein, has denied any wrongdoing. One of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, previously alleged that she was trafficked and forced to have sex with the British royal multiple times beginning in 2001. Andrew settled a civil lawsuit filed by Giuffre in the United States in 2022 without admitting liability.
Carney’s comments come after the governments of Australia and New Zealand signalled support for removing Andrew from the royal line of succession. Any change would need to be initiated by the United Kingdom and would require the approval of the 14 other Commonwealth realms that recognise King Charles III as head of state.
