Royal succession list: why Harry and Andrew stay
The British royal line of succession continues to include Prince Harry and Prince Andrew despite both stepping back from public-facing royal roles, a point that often prompts confusion for royal watchers. A new explainer has set out how succession is determined by law and why removal from the list is not a straightforward decision made by the Palace.
As it stands, Prince William is first in line to the throne, followed by his children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, while Prince Harry is fifth, with his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet next, Hello Magazine reported.
The same rundown places Prince Andrew eighth in line, with Princess Beatrice and her children behind him, and Princess Eugenie listed next in the family branch. The article notes the succession order will shift again when Princess Eugenie welcomes her third child, with other royals moving down one place accordingly.
Explaining why Harry and Andrew remain, the piece says the order is governed by the 1701 Act of Settlement and is considered a birthright rather than a reflection of whether a royal is “working”. It adds that changing the rules would require parliamentary action, rather than an internal royal decision, and outlines how reforms such as the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 ended male-preference primogeniture for those born after 28 October 2011.
The legal framework behind the list has become a recurring flashpoint, particularly amid debate over the Duke of York’s position, as discussed in Britpop News coverage of renewed scrutiny around Prince Andrew. For now, the succession remains defined by statute, with any future changes dependent on Parliament and agreement across the Commonwealth realms.
While the order can shift with births and deaths, the explainer underlines that removing an individual from the line is a far more complex constitutional step than changing titles or royal duties.
