Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has become the first leader of a Commonwealth nation to back removing Prince Andrew from the royal line of succession, following the disgraced royal's arrest over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer released Monday, Albanese wrote: "My government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession. These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously." Prince Andrew, now referred to as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after being stripped of his royal title

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has become the first leader of a Commonwealth nation to back removing Prince Andrew from the royal line of succession, following the disgraced royal's arrest over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer released Monday, Albanese wrote: "My government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession. These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously."

Prince Andrew, now referred to as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after being stripped of his royal titles in October, was arrested on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Police are investigating allegations he shared sensitive government information with Epstein while serving as Britain's trade envoy.

Despite stepping back from royal duties in 2022 and losing all his titles and honors, Andrew remains eighth in line to the British throne—after Prince William's three children and Prince Harry's two children.

Prince Andrew

The UK government is considering legislation to permanently remove Andrew from succession, but officials say they'll wait until police complete their investigation. Any such law would require agreement from all 14 Commonwealth countries where King Charles III serves as head of state, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

King Charles issued a rare personal statement Thursday saying "the law must take its course." Albanese echoed this in his letter, adding: "The law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation."

Removing someone from royal succession hasn't happened since 1936, when King Edward VIII voluntarily gave up the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, triggering a constitutional crisis.

Albanese, who favors Australia becoming a republic and breaking ties with the British monarchy, said he wouldn't seek another referendum on the issue despite Andrew's "extraordinary" fall from grace.

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