United News of Bangladesh

Australia has formally expressed support for removing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the British royal line of succession, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese writing to his UK counterpart to back such a move. In a letter to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Albanese said his government would agree to any proposal aimed at stripping Andrew of his position in the order of succession, following recent developments surrounding the former prince. Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne despite having lost his royal titles, including that of prince, in October amid mounting pressure over his past association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The UK government is now considering legislation to remove him entirely from the line of succession after he was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He was released under investigation about 11 hours after his arrest by Thames Valley Police. Any change to the line of succession would require an Act of Parliament in the UK, as well as the consent of all 14 Commonwealth realms where King Charles III is head of state, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica and New Zealand. In his letter, Albanese said Australians viewed the allegations seriously and supported a full and proper investigation. He added that the law must be allowed to take its course, echoing remarks made earlier by King Charles following his brother’s arrest. A spokesperson for Starmer confirmed receipt of the letter, saying the government was considering whether further steps were necessary regarding Andrew’s status. However, the spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment further while the police investigation remains ongoing. Darren Jones, the prime minister’s chief secretary, told lawmakers that the government was not ruling out action concerning the line of succession. Any legislation passed by Parliament would only take effect after receiving royal assent from the King. The last time an individual was removed from the line of succession through parliamentary action was in 1936, when Edward VIII and his descendants were excluded following his abdication. Buckingham Palace has so far declined to comment publicly on the possibility of legislation. Meanwhile, political views remain divided, with some senior figures urging caution until the investigation is concluded, while others argue that removing Andrew from the succession would be appropriate regardless of its outcome.   With inputs from BBC