Ex-Prince Andrew Receives Rare Visit from Senior Palace Official as Succession Question Looms
Ex-Prince Andrew Receives Rare Visit from Senior Palace Official as Succession Question Looms
Stephanie PetitTue, March 3, 2026 at 5:49 PM UTC
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Ex-Prince Andrew at King Charles' coronation in May 2023Credit: Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty -
The former Prince Andrew was visited by Richard Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household
Benyon's role is as the main point of communication between the monarch and the House of Lords
Calls for Andrew to be removed from the line of succession to the throne have intensified amid his recent arrest
The former Prince Andrew had a lengthy visit from a senior palace official, sparking speculation about his place in the line of succession.
The former Duke of York, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after his titles were stripped last year, was visited by Richard Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, on Monday, March 2. According to reports, the two-hour meeting took place at Wood Farm, the residence where Andrew is temporarily staying on the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk and where he was arrested on Feb. 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
As Lord Chamberlain, Benyon is the main point of communication between the monarch and the House of Lords. While their meeting was private, it sparked speculation that they may have discussed Andrew's removal from the line of succession to the British throne, which would require an Act of Parliament.
Despite having his royal titles and honors removed by King Charles in the fall of 2025, Andrew retained his spot in the line of succession. He is currently in the eighth spot, behind Prince Harry's two young children, 6-year-old Prince Archie and 4-year-old Princess Lilibet.
Policy activity at Sandringham after Andrew's arrest on Feb. 19, 2026Credit: Peter Nicholls/Getty
To remove Andrew from the line of succession, it would require an Act of Parliament as well as the consent of the Commonwealth realms where King Charles is monarch. However, in the wake of his arrest, the BBC reported that the government is considering introducing legislation to do so, preventing Queen Elizabeth's second son from ever becoming monarch.
While rare, it's not unprecedented to remove a person from the line of succession. King Edward VIII, later known as the Duke of Windsor, memorably lost his place when he abdicated the throne in 1936. Prince Michael of Kent, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth's, was removed from the line of succession when he married a Catholic woman in 1978, following the Act of Settlement of 1701. However, Prince Michael was reinstated with the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act.
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Ex-Prince Andrew and King Charles in September 2022Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty
Andrew stepped back from his public royal role in 2019 following a BBC interview in which he discussed his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The late Queen Elizabeth later stripped her son of his military titles and patronages in January 2022, after a judge rejected his attempt to have Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed. He settled with Giuffre out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Criticism of Andrew intensified in recent months amid newly unveiled email exchanges with Epstein and the posthumous memoir of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at age 41. In the book, she wrote that Andrew “believed having sex with me was his birthright,” describing three occasions Epstein allegedly arranged for her to meet him beginning at age 17.
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
King Charles' younger brother was arrested on Feb. 19, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Police are investigating Andrew over an allegation that he shared confidential information with Epstein while acting as a trade envoy for the U.K., a position he held from 2001 to 2011.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
