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  "path": "/2026/02/23/australia-backs-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-removed-royal-line-succession-27064131/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-23T11:45:40.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "World",
    "Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor",
    "Australia",
    "Royal Family",
    "Keir Starmer",
    "quizzed at a police station for 11 hours",
    "Jeffrey Epstein",
    "supplied to Guardian Australia, reads:",
    "government",
    "parliament",
    "King Charles III",
    "Canada",
    "**check our news page**",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Anthony Albanese (left) has written to Sir Keir Starmer today following Andrew (right)’s arrest and subsequent release last week (Picture: Getty)\n\nAustralia’s prime minister has written to Sir Keir Starmer and said the nation would back removing Andrew from the royal line of succession.\n\nAnthony Albanese, has written to Starmer to offer the commonwealth country’s backing after Andrew’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office while he was a trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.\n\nHe was quizzed at a police station for 11 hours last Thursday, his 66th birthday, before being released pending an investigation.\n\nAndrew has continued to deny any wrongdoing in relation to his role as trade envoy and his association with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.\n\nIn his statement to Prime Minister, Albanese, a staunch Republican, said Andrew was facing ‘grave allegations’, adding: ‘Australians take them seriously.’\n\nAn extract of Albanese’s letter to Starmer, supplied to Guardian Australia, reads: ‘In light of recent events concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, I am writing to confirm that my government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession.\n\n‘I agree with His Majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation.\n\n‘These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously.’\n\nDespite being stripped of his title last year, the former Duke of York is still eighth in line to the throne, and an Act of Parliament would be required to remove Andrew and prevent him from ever becoming king.\n\nRemoving him from the line of succession would require an act of the UK parliament and the support of the 14 Commonwealth countries where King Charles III is head of state, which includes Australia, Canada and New Zealand.\n\nSir Keir Starmer’s Government will consider introducing such legislation once police have finished their investigation into the King’s disgraced brother, the Press Association has reported.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,****check our news page**.\n\nComment now Comments  Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source ",
  "title": "Australia backs Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be removed from the royal line of succession"
}