Prince Harry's place as fifth in line to the throne could be at risk due to his decision to step down as a working royal and move abroad.
The Duke of Sussex's position in the line of succession will be discussed at the Royal Family's summer summit at Balmoral, according to a source. The titles of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will also be discussed.
“The order of succession can be altered by statute if a member of the Royal Family resides permanently outside the UK and no longer undertakes royal duties,” a source said. The express.
“If that were to happen, Harry's children could also be removed from the line of succession,” the source explained.
Robert Blackburn, a professor of constitutional law at King's College London, also shared his thoughts on the matter, saying Harry could be removed from the line of succession through an act of Parliament.
He explained: “Like Edward VIII, Prince Harry does not wish to play the royal role expected of him and has retired to live abroad. It is therefore to be assumed that Prince Harry would be prepared to abdicate his place in the succession if for some reason this were to become an issue in the royal affairs being legislated.”
“Grassroots MPs or peers can technically table a private bill on the issue, but it would get nowhere and the government would not be able to move beyond a formal first reading,” he added.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as working royals in 2020 and moved to Montecito, California, to “work towards financial independence.” The couple have two children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
