Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Saturday that Prince Andrew should be removed from the line of royal succession, describing the royal’s past behaviour as “deplorable”.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is currently under investigation for alleged misconduct in public office following revelations about his ties with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He was arrested and later released in February on suspicion of sharing confidential information with Epstein during his time as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Carney said there is a formal process required to remove someone from the royal line of succession, but added that Andrew’s actions justify such a move.
“There is a process in order to do it, but I certainly think his actions, which are deplorable and have already resulted in him being stripped of his royal titles, necessitate his removal from the line of succession,” Carney said.
The Canadian prime minister was visiting Japan for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Prince Andrew, who lost his royal titles last year because of his alleged links to Epstein, has denied any wrongdoing.
Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, had accused Andrew of being among the men she was trafficked to for sex by Epstein. She claimed the encounters occurred three times beginning in 2001, including twice when she was 17.
Andrew settled a civil lawsuit filed by Giuffre in the United States in 2022 without admitting liability.
Carney’s remarks follow announcements by Australia and New Zealand expressing support for removing Andrew from the line of succession.
Any change to the royal succession would have to be initiated by Britain, but it would also require approval from the 14 other Commonwealth realms that recognize King Charles III as head of state.
