Why Prince Andrew Remains in the Line of Succession Despite Losing His Royal Titles Stephanie PetitOctober 31, 2025 at 10:07 PM 0 Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Prince Andrew, King Charles and Prince William at the Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025 Prince Andrew's royal titles and honors are being removed by King Charles While King Charles is using his Royal Prerogative to strip his brother's titles, it would require another process to remove Andrew from the line of succession to the throne Other royals have lost their places in the line of succession in recent history Prince Andrew is being...
- - Why Prince Andrew Remains in the Line of Succession Despite Losing His Royal Titles
Stephanie PetitOctober 31, 2025 at 10:07 PM
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Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
Prince Andrew, King Charles and Prince William at the Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025 -
Prince Andrew's royal titles and honors are being removed by King Charles
While King Charles is using his Royal Prerogative to strip his brother's titles, it would require another process to remove Andrew from the line of succession to the throne
Other royals have lost their places in the line of succession in recent history
Prince Andrew is being stripped of his royal titles and honors, but does he retain his spot in the line of succession to the throne?
On Oct. 30, Buckingham Palace made the seismic announcement that King Charles had begun a formal process to remove his brother's titles, including as a prince and his peerage as the Duke of York, making him simply Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The statement also revealed that Andrew, 65, would lose his living arrangements at the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge in Windsor.
PEOPLE understands it was King Charles' decision to remove Andrew's titles and honors, and he is using his Royal Prerogative, which allows him to manage certain royal titles and honors without involving Parliament.
However, Andrew currently remains in the line of succession to the throne.
Patrick van Katwijk/Getty
Prince Andrew and King Charles on Sept. 19, 2022
As the second son of Queen Elizabeth, Andrew was second in the line of succession upon his birth, just behind his older brother, Charles. As Charles had children and grandchildren, Andrew was pushed down in the order, and he is currently eighth behind Prince Harry's two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
To remove Andrew from the line of succession, it would require an Act of Parliament as well as the consent of the Commonwealth realms where King Charles is monarch, per the BBC.
In recent history, King Edward VIII lost his place in the line of succession when he abdicated the throne in 1936. In addition, Prince Michael of Kent was removed from the line of succession when he married a Catholic in 1978, following the Act of Settlement of 1701. However, Prince Michael was reinstated with the Succession to the Crown Act in 2013.
As of Friday, Oct. 31, the line of succession on the royal family's official website has not been to reflect Andrew losing his titles. It currently lists him as the "Duke of York" in the eighth spot.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
Prince Andrew at the Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025
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Andrew stepped back from his public royal role in 2019 following a BBC interview in which he discussed his relationship with Epstein. Queen Elizabeth later stripped her son of his military titles and patronages in January 2022, after a judge rejected his attempt to have Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed. He settled with Giuffre out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Criticism surrounding Andrew intensified in recent weeks after the posthumous memoir of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at 41. In the book, she wrote that Andrew "believed having sex with me was his birthright," describing three occasions Epstein allegedly arranged for her to meet him beginning at age 17.
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
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Published: October 31, 2025 at 04:46PM on Source: GL MAG
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