Calls have been mounting for Andrew-Mountbatten Windsor to be stripped of his few remaining honours and removed from the royal line of succession over his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
King Charles removed most of his brother’s royal titles, honours and styles last year after documents released by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) revealed Mountbatten-Windsor’s close relationship to the disgraced financier.
Subsequent DoJ releases included emails appearing to show that the former prince sent Epstein confidential documents related to his work as UK trade envoy, a role Mountbatten-Windsor held from 2001 to 2011.
Thames Valley Police announced last month they had arrested the former duke on suspicion of misconduct in public office and searched his properties after launching a review into allegations he shared confidential documents with Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor has since been released under investigation and has denied any allegations of wrongdoing.
What titles, honours and privileges has Andrew lost so far?
In October, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had “initiated a formal process” to strip his brother of his “prince” and “duke of York” titles, as well as forcing him to surrender his lease to Royal Lodge, his Windsor mansion.
The former prince was also stripped of the title of His Royal Highness (HRH), with the Palace confirming he would “now be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor”. He also lost the titles of Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.
In December, a notice on the London Gazette announced that Mountbatten-Windsor would also be stripped of two knighthoods conferred upon him by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 and 2011.
Mountbatten-Windsor, a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot, has been stripped of his last honorary military rank of vice-admiral (Photo: John Stillwell/Getty)That meant he would no longer be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter or a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
Days later, the Ministry of Defence confirmed Mountbatten-Windsor, a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot, had been stripped of his last honorary military rank of vice-admiral.
He was instead reduced to the rank of commander (retired), received after his retirement from regular service with the Royal Navy.
The honours and titles Mountbatten-Windsor has been stripped of are not confined to the UK.
Last month, Norway’s palace confirmed the former prince had handed back a Norwegian order he had been been presented with almost four decades ago by King Olav V.
Oslo announced Mountbatten-Windsor had “chosen to return” his Order of St Olav – Norway’s highest civilian honour.
In the same month, a spokesperson for New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed the ex-prince had been stripped of the 1990 Commemoration Medal – an award marking the 150th anniversary the country’s founding treaty – at the direction of the King.
His remaining titles and privileges
Despite losing most of his royal privileges, Mountbatten-Windsor still remains eighth in line to the throne.
His position in the line of succession has sparked widespread criticism, most recently from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said last week that the “deplorable” accusations against the former prince “necessitate” the remove of the privilege.
A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Prime Minister has said Luxon also backs the removal of Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession.
“If the UK Government proposes to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession, New Zealand would support it,” the spokesperson said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to Sir Keir Starmer, saying that the government in Canberra “would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession”.
A member of the Royal Family can also be dropped from the line of succession to the throne by legislation. However, according to the preamble to the Statute of Westminster 1931, this would require the consent of every other independent Commonwealth Realm where the King is also head of state.
Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, told the Commons last month that the Government was “not ruling out action in respect of the line of succession”, but it was important to “first allow the police to carry out their investigations”.
Mountbatten-Windsor also remains, in theory, a Counsellor of State, meaning he can step in for the King if he is overseas or unwell, however, the Palace has said he will not be asked to fulfil this role.
He has also been able to retain his Freedom of the City of London after a review determined the honour could not be removed.
The largely ceremonial title – which allows its recipients ancient rights such as to herd sheep over London Bridge, was awarded to Mountbatten-Windsor in 2012 “by virtue of patrimony”, due to his father Prince Philip being a Freeman.
The City of London Corporation, which governs the Square Mile, said: “Applications via patrimony are not considered by our elected members.
“We have carefully considered whether it is possible to remove a Freedom granted by patrimony and understand that we are not able to do so.”
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