On the official Buckingham Palace website, the line of succession to the throne still shows the “Duke of York” in eighth place. Of course, this page is missing an update, considering that this noble title has been unclaimed for more than two weeks. In an October 17 statement, Prince Andrew publicly renounced it after a “discussion with the king and my immediate and wider family.” After the palace’s shocking announcement last week that King Charles was stripping his brother of his titles and honors, the lingering name is evidence of a strange truth: Though Queen Elizabeth II’s third child is no longer a prince, he could still become king.
To remove Andrew Mountbatten Windsor from the line of succession would require an act of parliament. That, in turn, would need approval from the commonwealth member states, since the British monarch is recognized as their head of state. And despite pressure from Westminster to look into permanently removing Andrew from the line, Keir Starmer’s government “has no plans” to do so, per the BBC.
Removing Andrew from the line of succession would primarily be a symbolic gesture, as the former prince’s chances of assuming the throne are almost nil. At birth, Andrew was second in line, but now his name falls after Prince William and his three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, followed by Prince Harry and his two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Little by little, Andrew has lost nearly all of the distinctions associated with royal status. In 2022 the queen revoked his honorary military ranks and he was denied the right to style himself “His Royal Highness” in an official capacity. Last month, Andrew gave up the Duchy of York. Now, the formal process of withdrawing his titles and honors is underway, including the appellation of “prince.” But if Andrew were to be removed from the line of succession, Parliament’s involvement would become necessary.
Originally published in Vanity Fair Italia.
