Why Prince Andrew Is Still in Line for Throne After Losing Royal Title

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Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Despite losing his royal titles due to allegations linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew (now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) still has a place in the line to become king.

Why is the king’s brother still next in line for the throne? It would be a complicated and time-consuming legal process to remove the 65-year-old, who used to be known as the Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh, from the line of succession.

For the law to be changed, all 14 of the United Kingdom’s Commonwealth realms – including countries like Australia, Canada, and Jamaica – would need to agree. Additionally, the U.K.’s Parliament would also have to approve the changes, as outlined in the 1931 Statute of Westminster, which states that any changes to laws about who can be king or queen, or the royal family’s titles, require everyone’s approval.

Changing the rules of royal succession isn’t simple. It would require agreement from many countries and a significant amount of time and money in the U.K. The last time these rules were updated – in 2013 to allow daughters to inherit the throne equally with sons – the process took two years of negotiations.

While it’s unusual, there have been times when members of the royal family haven’t followed the normal path of succession. A famous example is King Edward VIII, who gave up the throne in 1936 because he wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, who had been divorced. This allowed his brother, George VI, to become king, and Edward became known as the Duke of Windsor.

Prince Michael of Kent, a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, originally lost his place as 54th in line to the throne when he married Marie-Christine von Reibnitz in 1978. This was because she was Catholic. However, a law change in 2013 removed the rule preventing royals from marrying Catholics, and he was added back to the line of succession.

Prince William is next in line to the throne after Charles. Following him are William and Kate Middleton’s children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. After them come Prince Harry, and his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, completing the top seven in the line of succession.

Even though Andrew’s position in the line of succession remains the same, his overall experience as a royal has drastically changed. Royal commentator Sharon Carpenter explained to TopMob News in October that the loss of his royal titles effectively ends any chance of him returning to royal duties in the future.

As a long-time observer, I truly believe this marks the definitive end of Prince Andrew’s life as a working royal. Unless there’s a massive shift in how the public feels – and honestly, given everything that’s come to light, that’s just not going to happen – he won’t be returning to public life. From now on, he’s essentially a private citizen with a royal background, and that’s that.

Buckingham Palace recently announced that Prince Andrew will no longer be a working royal. This news came just before the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, where she repeats her claim that she had a sexual encounter with Andrew when she was 17, as reported by the BBC. Andrew had previously reached a settlement with Giuffre in a civil lawsuit in 2022, but he maintains his innocence.

Following the announcement from Buckingham Palace, they emphasized the royal family’s sympathy and backing for those who experienced harm from Jeffrey Epstein.

Despite the individual continuing to deny the accusations, these actions are considered essential, according to a press release issued on October 30th. The King and Queen want to emphasize that their support and deepest compassion are, and will always be, with those affected by abuse of any kind.

Just days before the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir – where she repeats her claim that she had sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 – Buckingham Palace made an announcement. Giuffre previously accused Prince Andrew in a civil lawsuit, which he settled in 2022, though he continues to deny any wrongdoing, according to the BBC who reviewed a copy of the memoir.

Following the announcement from Buckingham Palace, they emphasized the royal family’s sympathy and backing for those who experienced harm from Jeffrey Epstein.

Despite the individual continuing to deny the accusations, these actions are considered essential, according to a press release issued on October 30th. The King and Queen want to emphasize that their deepest compassion remains with anyone affected by abuse.

Andrew released a statement earlier in the month, explaining that the claims against him were interfering with the royal family’s duties.

In a recent statement, he reaffirmed his decision to step away from public life five years ago. With the King’s approval, he will now go further and relinquish his title and any honors he’s received. He continues to strongly deny the allegations made against him.

For more royal news, keep reading.

Following Prince Andrew’s decision to step down as Duke of York, King Charles III announced that his brother would also lose his Prince title and be asked to leave his home, Royal Lodge.

Buckingham Palace announced today that Prince Andrew will no longer use his royal titles. He will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has announced he will stop using the title Duke of York. This decision comes because of ongoing public concern about his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

After talking with The King and my family, I’ve decided the ongoing accusations against me are taking attention away from the important work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Prince Andrew said in a statement. “As I’ve always believed, my family and country must come first. Therefore, I stand by my decision to step back from public duties, which I made five years ago.”

Andrew stated that, with the King’s approval, he was taking things a step further by relinquishing his royal title and any honors he had received. He reaffirmed that he strongly denied all accusations made against him.

 

In October 2025, the King and his oldest son attended the Countdown to COP30 event at the Natural History Museum in London.

The couple took photos outside the museum and then went inside to talk with government officials and activists focused on fighting climate change. This meeting happened before the COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belém, Brazil, in November, which Prince William will attend as a representative for his father.

In September 2025, Sarah, Duchess of York, stepped down as a patron of Julia’s House after an old email from 2011 surfaced. The email revealed she referred to Jeffrey Epstein as a friend.

After reports surfaced this weekend about the Duchess of York’s communication with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia’s House has decided it’s best for her to step down as a patron of the charity. The charity has informed the Duchess of this decision and expressed gratitude for her previous contributions, according to The Guardian.

A representative for Ferguson stated the email was sent following a threat made by Epstein.

After a 19-month absence, Prince Harry was spotted arriving at Clarence House—the King’s home in London—presumably to visit his father before attending another event in the city.

Harry arrived at the house around 5:20 p.m. on September 10th, but Charles had come back just a few hours earlier.

Princess Anne’s son and his former husband, Mark Phillips, announced their engagement to Harriet Sperling on August 1st, after dating for over a year.

The couple’s spokesperson told Hello! magazine that both families were told about the engagement at the same time and were very happy about it.

Just a day before turning 78, the royal was made an honorary Vice Admiral by the Royal Navy.

Camilla is the first woman to receive this honorary title. It’s awarded only by the monarch – in this case, her husband, King Charles III – based on a recommendation from the First Sea Lord, currently Sir Gwyn Jenkins.

Just hours before she was scheduled to attend, Princess Catherine cancelled her appearance at Royal Ascot, according to Kensington Palace.

The palace said Kate was sad to miss the event, but is still working out how to manage her public appearances as she recovers from cancer.

Prince Harry’s legal battle for extra security ended on May 2nd when a court dismissed his case. This came over a year after a previous request for increased protection was denied by the High Court’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee.

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stopped being full-time working royals in 2021 and moved to the U.S., their security arrangements were reduced. However, Harry continued to request security protection during his visits back to the United Kingdom in the following years.

Prince Harry told the BBC on May 2nd that he was deeply upset by the outcome of his recent legal fight. He stated that, as things stand, he doesn’t foresee returning to the UK with his wife and children.

In a BBC interview on May 2nd, Prince Harry said his father, King Charles III, isn’t currently speaking to him due to disagreements about security. He expressed hope that they could resolve their differences and rebuild their relationship.

Prince Harry expressed a desire to rebuild his relationship with his family, including his father, but indicated it depends on his father taking the first step. He shares two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, with Meghan.

Honestly, it breaks my heart to hear him say he doesn’t foresee returning to the U.K. with his family anytime soon. He’s spoken about how much it pains him that his children might never really get to know their heritage or see where he grew up – it’s just a really sad thought, knowing he won’t be able to share that part of himself with them.

Harry explained that his father has significant influence and could potentially solve the situation. He doesn’t necessarily need to get directly involved, but simply allow the professionals to handle things and continue their work.

After years of fighting, he’s now seeking peace and a chance to make amends. He explained, “Life is too short, and I don’t know how much time my father has left.”

More than a year after revealing his cancer diagnosis, King Charles wrote on April 29th that going through treatment has shown him the incredible kindness and strength of people.

In a booklet offering support to cancer patients and their families, Charles wrote that receiving a diagnosis is understandably scary. However, speaking from personal experience, he also emphasized that it can reveal incredible kindness and strength in people.

He expressed gratitude to the healthcare workers who cared for him, and shared that the experience deepened his respect for the incredible work done by the organizations and people present, many of whom he’s known and supported for a long time.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis – were absent from the royal family’s traditional Easter service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on April 20th.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla joined other royals in celebrating, but Prince William and Kate chose to spend the weekend at their country home in Norfolk with their children, according to several news sources.

This was the second Easter the couple missed. It happened just a week after Princess Kate announced she was being treated for cancer.

I was so excited to hear that Jason Knauf is the new CEO of The Earthshot Prize! The announcement came on April 15th, and he shared how much he’s looking forward to collaborating with the amazing team and everyone involved in the Prize to really push forward their important message of hopeful action for our planet. It’s a fantastic appointment, and I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes.

He was promoted almost seven years after he reported concerns about Meghan Markle’s behavior, claiming she bullied two personal assistants and tried to discredit another staff member. Representatives for the Sussexes rejected these claims, telling The Times that the story was a deliberate attempt to damage their reputation using false and harmful information.

Buckingham Palace looked into the claims, but the investigation concluded in 2022 with no public announcement of its results.

William and Kate’s eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7. 

I always love seeing heartwarming moments at sporting events, and the Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa was no exception! I spotted a father and son completely beaming in the stands at Parc des Princes – it was such a sweet sight to see them enjoying the game together.

Graham Craker, a former bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William, passed away in April at the age of 77.

Craker was with Princes William and Harry when they found out their mother, Princess Diana, had passed away, and he was present at her funeral.

In 2017, Craker told The New York Post that he saw Prince William during the procession. He explained that he was standing near the back of the hearse when Prince William looked up and seemed to recognize him. Craker nodded back, and Prince William appeared reassured that someone he knew was with his mother during her last trip.

I was so thrilled to hear the wonderful news! Hugh Grosvenor, who I know is very close to King Charles – he’s actually his godson – and his wife, Olivia, just announced they’re expecting their first child. It’s such a happy time for them, and I’m really excited for the new arrival!

I’m so thrilled to share some wonderful news! A spokesperson just confirmed to The Telegraph that the Duchess is expecting a baby this summer. Both she and her partner are absolutely overjoyed and can’t wait to become parents – it’s such a happy time for them, and we’re all sending our best wishes as they prepare to start a family!

Prince Frederik, the son of Prince Robert and Princess Julie, passed away on March 1st at the age of 22 after a struggle with a rare genetic condition called PolG mitochondrial disease.

Robert shared in a statement that his son, Frederik, is a superhero to their family, countless friends, and now, through his PolG Foundation, to people all over the world. Robert believes Frederik’s strength lies in his ability to inspire others and lead by being a positive role model.

 

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, reached a legal settlement with News Group Newspapers – the company behind both The Sun and the now-closed News of the World – on January 22nd. He had sued them in 2019, claiming that journalists and investigators working for the newspapers illegally obtained information about the royal family.

According to NBC News, the settlement involved the company paying a significant amount in damages and offering a complete and sincere apology to Prince Harry. They also publicly acknowledged the widespread and harmful media coverage that invaded both his and Princess Diana’s privacy.

On January 14th, The Princess of Wales shared the wonderful news that her cancer treatment has been successful and she is now in remission.

She announced on X (formerly Twitter) on January 14th that her cancer is in remission and she’s continuing to focus on getting better. She added that, like anyone facing a cancer diagnosis, she’s still adjusting to life after it.

She added that she’s excited about the year ahead and optimistic about what’s to come.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is grieving the loss of her rescue beagle, whom she adopted in 2015, before she met Prince Harry.

On January 7th, she shared a heartfelt message on Instagram about her sadness. She wrote about crying so much that it felt overwhelming, describing how she’d often stand in the shower hoping the water would wash away the pain, even though she knew it wouldn’t. She acknowledged that feeling the sadness was okay, too.

Meghan lovingly remembered her dog, Guy, saying, “Thank you for all the years of unwavering love. You brought so much joy to my life.”

 

Edward Pettifer, the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke (also known as Alexandra Pettifer), was a victim of the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.

Prince William and Catherine were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ed Pettifer. In a message shared on Kate Middleton’s Instagram account on January 4th, Prince William stated their thoughts are with the Pettifer family and everyone affected by this terrible tragedy.

Meghan Markle, known for her role on the TV show Suits, launched a new Instagram account on January 1st. She had previously closed her personal social media accounts just before marrying Prince Harry in 2018.

The next day, she revealed a new Netflix series called With Love, Meghan. A press release described the show as a fresh take on lifestyle programming, combining helpful tips and honest chats with both familiar and new friends.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I was thrilled to see Kate and William bringing Prince George and Princess Charlotte to Wimbledon in June 2025! It was a lovely, rare glimpse into their family life, and a wonderful way to introduce the kids to such a classic event.

The family shared on Instagram how happy they were to be back at Wimbledon for the Championships finals this weekend. They congratulated Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner on their victories and thanked everyone who helped make the tournament so wonderful.

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2025-11-26 22:55