EXCLUSIVE: Why Andrew Windsor is Set to Cling to His Position as Eighth in Line to the Throne 'For at Least Another Year'
Andrew Windsor was expected to keep his royal succession position longer.
May 15 2026, Published 6:25 p.m. ET
Andrew Windsor is expected to remain eighth in line to the British throne for at least another year despite mounting political pressure to erase him from the royal succession, as police investigations connected to his past continue to expand.
As RadarOnline.com was among the first to report, the disgraced former royal, 66, lost the right to use his HRH title last year following years of controversy surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew Succession Crisis Deepens
Andrew Windsor retained his position as eighth in line to the British throne.
Earlier this year, Windsor faced further humiliation after being arrested on his 66th birthday as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office linked to his former role as Britain's special trade envoy.
He was later released "under investigation," while denying any wrongdoing. Now, any immediate effort to formally strip him from the line of succession has stalled while Thames Valley Police continue inquiries alongside wider investigations involving the Metropolitan Police and American authorities into whether London airports were used in connection with Epstein's private jet network.
A senior royal source told us: "Behind closed doors, there is immense frustration and anxiety within both Buckingham Palace and parts of government about the fact Andrew still technically remains in the line of succession at all.
"A lot of influential figures believe his continued constitutional position has become deeply damaging to the monarchy's reputation because every new headline connected to him drags the institution back into scandal and public embarrassment.
"The feeling among many officials is that the monarchy cannot fully modernize or move beyond this crisis while Andrew still occupies any symbolic proximity to the throne.
"But the situation is legally and politically incredibly delicate because removing somebody from the succession is not a simple palace decision – it requires constitutional coordination across multiple Commonwealth nations, parliamentary legislation, and careful diplomatic negotiation. Nobody wants to ignite a massive constitutional dispute while active police investigations are still hanging over the situation."
Buckingham Palace Fears Royal Fallout
Prime Minister Keir Starmer privately supported plans to alter the royal succession.
The insider added: "At the moment, Andrew remains where he is less because anybody is actively defending him and more because the system itself moves extraordinarily slowly. There's a sense that he is surviving institutionally through procedural paralysis rather than genuine support.
"Palace aides and government officials are effectively trapped in a holding pattern while investigators continue their work, because acting too aggressively or too quickly could create serious international complications and fuel republican movements in countries already questioning their ties to the monarchy.
"People behind the scenes are acutely aware that any change to the succession would have ripple effects far beyond Britain, particularly in places like Jamaica, where anti-monarchy sentiment is already growing.
"So, despite the enormous discomfort Andrew's position creates internally, the reality is that the constitutional machinery needed to remove him could take many months, if not years, to fully navigate. That's why most insiders believe he will almost certainly cling onto his place in the succession for at least another year, regardless of the public outrage surrounding him."
Both Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Buckingham Palace are understood to be privately supportive of plans to remove Windsor from the succession entirely. But any such move would require an Act of Parliament and approval from every Commonwealth country where King Charles remains head of state.
Countries including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are said to be open to supporting reform, though insiders fear Jamaica could use the debate as an opportunity to accelerate efforts to sever ties with the monarchy altogether.
Palace Insiders Fear Andrew Embarrassment
The ongoing Epstein scandal dragged the monarchy back into public embarrassment.
Another palace source claimed anxiety is growing within royal circles over the possibility of Mountbatten-Windsor remaining symbolically close to the throne while police investigations continue.
The insider said: "There is enormous unease within palace circles about the fact Andrew still remains so visibly connected to the constitutional structure of the monarchy despite the scale of scandal surrounding him.
"Even if nobody seriously expects a scenario where he would ever ascend to the throne, the symbolism alone is causing huge embarrassment internally because his continued place in the line of succession creates the impression that the institution has never fully severed ties with the controversy.
"Every time Andrew becomes attached to another police investigation, damaging allegation or negative headline, officials fear the monarchy itself immediately gets pulled back into the story alongside him.
"That's what worries people most behind the scenes – not the prospect of Andrew becoming king, which is unrealistic, but the reputational damage caused by the constant reminder that somebody so publicly disgraced still technically sits within touching distance of the crown.
"There's a strong feeling among some palace aides that while the monarchy is trying to present itself as modern, stable and forward-looking under Charles, Andrew's lingering constitutional status keeps undermining that message."
Royal Fallout Could Spread Further
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Princess Eugenie announced her third pregnancy to the public.
The fallout could potentially extend beyond Windsor himself.
There have also been discussions surrounding whether changes to the succession rules might eventually affect his daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 36 – along with their children.
Eugenie recently announced she is expecting her third child, who will enter the line of succession in 15th place.
