The U.K. government will consider introducing a law to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession once police complete their investigation into the king’s brother, it is understood. Any change would require an act of Parliament and the agreement of other countries that share the U.K. monarch, underscoring the constitutional complexity surrounding the royal succession.
Detectives continued searching Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate in Berkshire, on Thursday, while separate searches at his residence on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk concluded. He was detained Wednesday morning—on his 66th birthday—after new allegations were made following the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied wrongdoing over his Epstein links but has not directly addressed the latest claims.
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The inquiry stems from emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice that appeared to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing sensitive information while serving as the U.K.’s special representative for international trade and investment. One message, dated November 2010, appeared to be forwarded by Mountbatten-Windsor five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser, Amir Patel, and related to official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Another, on Dec. 24, 2010, appeared to show he sent Epstein a confidential brief on investment opportunities tied to reconstruction in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
After his arrest, King Charles said in a statement that “the law must take its course” and that the police have “our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.” Charles continued with scheduled duties, hosting ambassadorial audiences at St. James’s Palace, and declined to respond to shouted questions about his brother during a later appearance in central London.
It is understood that neither King Charles nor Buckingham Palace were told in advance of the arrest. The home secretary was alerted shortly beforehand, according to people familiar with the matter. Thames Valley Police said the force did not brief the Home Office prior to the arrest, while the National Police Chiefs’ Council clarified in a statement that it had given officials 30 minutes’ notice. “In line with routine practice, the National Police Chiefs’ Council alerted operational colleagues within the Home Office of the arrest. This gave 30 minutes’ notice before Thames Valley Police made the arrest,” the NPCC said.
Mountbatten-Windsor was seen leaving Aylsham police station in Norfolk on Wednesday evening, appearing tired as he departed in the back of a vehicle before returning to Sandringham. No charges have been announced.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump called the arrest “very sad” and “so bad for the royal family,” while praising King Charles as “a fantastic man” and saying the monarch would be visiting the United States soon.
Any move to strip Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession would mark a rare intervention by Parliament in royal inheritance rules. Beyond domestic legislation, similar assent would be required from governments of other realms where the British sovereign is head of state—a process that has historically involved coordinated agreement among those nations.
Mountbatten-Windsor was appointed the U.K.’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001 and stepped down in 2011 amid controversy over his friendship with Epstein. Thames Valley Police said searches at Royal Lodge would continue as part of the ongoing investigation.
Government officials are not expected to act on potential succession legislation until police complete their work. A timeline for the investigation’s conclusion remains unclear.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
