New Zealand will back a plan to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession if it is proposed by the UK Government, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
In a statement today, a spokesperson for Luxon said: “If the UK Government proposes to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession, New Zealand would support it.
"The UK Government has said any proposals would come after the police investigation concludes," the spokesperson added.
Any changes to the order of succession have to be done in tandem with all Commonwealth realms, including New Zealand.
Calls to remove the former prince from the order of succession, where he was currently eighth in line, followed his arrest last week over allegedly leaking secret documents to dead sex offender Jeffery Epstein.
Earlier today, Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to say Australia would support any plan to remove the former prince from the line of royal succession.
"In light of recent events concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, I am writing to confirm that my government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession.''
"I agree with His Majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation.
"These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously."
On Saturday, it was reported the British government was considering formally removing him from the line of succession after the police investigation was concluded.
The UK government's chief secretary to the treasury told the Associated Press changes to legislation to remove Mountbatten-Windsor would also be considered: "The government is considering any further steps that might be required, and we're not ruling anything out."
The last royal to be removed from the line of succession was King Edward VIII in 1936, after his abdication from the throne. At the time, law was changed to remove him and any of his descendants from the list.
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