Australia backs growing calls to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from line of succession
Australia’s prime minister has joined growing calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be disinherited.
The former prince was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of abuse of public office after being accused of sharing sensitive information with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein while serving as Britain’s trade envoy.
The new documents, part of a two-million tranche of documents obtained from the US Department of Justice, shed light on Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with the convicted sex offender in January.
In his letter to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Anthony Albanese wrote that Australia takes the “serious allegations” against the former Duke of York seriously.
“In light of recent events regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, I am writing to confirm that my government will accept any proposal to remove him from the royal line of succession,” he said.
“I agree with Her Majesty that the law must now be fully operational and that there must be a full, fair and appropriate investigation.
“These are serious allegations and Australians take them seriously.”
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor was detained for 11 hours on his 66th birthday while police officers searched his home at Sandringham Manor in Norfolk before he was released under investigation. Police continued to search his former residence, Royal Lodge in Berkshire, on Monday.
Retired civil servants told the BBC that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor used taxpayers’ money for massages and excessive travel expenses while he was Britain’s trade envoy.
A former civil servant said they refused to pay for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s massage but was overruled by senior staff, telling the broadcaster: “I thought it was wrong… I said we shouldn’t have paid but we paid anyway.”
A former Whitehall official who oversaw the funding told the BBC they had “absolutely no doubt” about the veracity of the claim after seeing similar spending on foreign trips.
Juan Alessi, Mr. Epstein’s former housekeeper in Florida, said in a 2009 videotaped interview under oath that Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor would get a “daily massage” when he visited the disgraced financier.
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing over his connection to the convicted sex offender but has not responded directly to the latest allegations.
The chief executive of anti-monarch organization Republic has called for a wider investigation after reporting the former prince to Thames Valley Police for misconduct in public office.
Graham Smith said: “Royals should be treated like any other public figure challenged by the BBC, questioned in committees by MPs, investigated by the police when necessary and in no way above or beyond the law.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the Department of Business and Trade should open its files on Mr Mountbatten-Windsor if it related to “allegations of misconduct in public office”.
He said: “Prince Andrew was given this because it could open doors, but if there is anything to the allegations of misconduct in public office then all the files must be published and investigated.”
Ahead of an opposition day in the House of Commons on Tuesday, the Liberal Democrats said they would seek a debate to further examine Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s former role as Britain’s trade envoy.
