Searches Expected To Continue At Andrew's Former Home In Windsor

LONDON, Feb 21 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- Searches are expected to continue at Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's previous home as the UK government vowed to consider removing him from the line of succession once police investigations have concluded, PA Media/dpa reported.

Despite 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.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government will consider introducing such legislation once police have finished their investigation into  King Charles III's brother, the Press Association understands.

Any changes to the line of succession would also require the agreement of other countries which share the UK monarch, including Australia, Canada and Jamaica.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray told Sky News: "The Government is considering any further steps that might be required, and we're not ruling anything out.

"But at this stage, it would be inappropriate for us to go any further because there is a live police investigation under way."

This weekend, the royal family will be attempting to conduct their duties as usual with the prince and princess of Wales expected to appear in public.

On Thursday morning, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after allegations were made against him following the release of files related to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

The former duke spent 11 hours in police custody on his 66th birthday before being released under investigation following allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as the UK's trade envoy.

Detectives continued to search Andrew's former home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor, Berkshire, on Friday.

He has denied any wrongdoing over his links to the convicted sex offender, but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.

After his younger brother's arrest, the king said in a statement that "the law must take its course" and the police have "our full and wholehearted support and co-operation".

Charles attended the first show of London Fashion Week on Thursday, hours after Andrew's arrest, where he did not respond when asked for his reaction to the news.

During a visit to a concert in Westminster that afternoon, Queen Camilla also did not reply to a question about her brother-in-law's arrest.

Thames Valley Police, who are leading the investigation, are yet to receive any "early investigative advice" from the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the allegation, it is understood.

Detectives have asked Andrew's former close protection officers to "consider carefully whether anything they saw or heard" during their service could be relevant to the investigation into Epstein and his associates.

London's Metropolitan Police said it was working with counterparts in the US to establish whether London airports had been used to "facilitate human trafficking and sexual exploitation".

On Friday, the force said no new reports of alleged sexual offences have been made since the release of millions of pages of documents related to Epstein by the US Department of Justice.

Scotland Yard previously said it was looking into allegations that Andrew's protection officers turned a "blind eye" to his visits to Epstein's island, Little St James.

Police are yet to identify any wrongdoing by close protection officers.

Andrew's primary accuser, Virginia Giuffre, alleged she had sex with him on the Caribbean island.

The former prince has previously vehemently denied all allegations made against him.

The 14 Commonwealth countries where King Charles is head of state are Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Before the stripping of his titles, Andrew had stepped down from public duties in 2019 after his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview about his friendship with Epstein.

This meant he had already ceased to be an active counsellor of state, who can deputise for the monarch if he is overseas on an official trip or ill.

Because Counsellors of State are selected from those in the line of succession, removing him from the line of succession would formally eliminate any possibility of him serving in that role.

-- BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/DPA