Spotlight on line of succession

PRINCE Andrew yesterday accompanied the Queen to church in his first public appearance with her since stepping back from royal duties over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Not only was it a clear show of support from the monarch for her beleaguered son, it also put a spotlight on the issue of succession.

The Queen travelled in the same car as Andrew to the St Mary the Virgin church in Hillington, Norfolk, and was happy for them to be photographed together. Andrew hasn’t been pictured with his mother since his disastrous Newsnight interview last November.

It came as Buckingham Palace stressed that Prince Harry’s place in the line of succession is unaffected. While he is not going to use his HRH title, he will not be relinquishing it.

It means Harry and Meghan will not have to bow or curtsey to Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, which would have been the protocol if they had lost their HRH titles altogether. Harry – who is sixth in line to the throne after the Prince of Wales, William and his three children – has made clear the life of a senior royal is not for him or his son Archie.

So hypothetically, if anything were to happen to those above him, or others were to follow in his footsteps and ‘opt out’ of the monarchy, Andrew and his daughters would be next.

And, in the absence of the Sussexes, Charles could need the help of Andrew and his children to help share the day-to-day burden of public duties.