Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the Monarchy That Eats Its Own

There has been a lot of discussion lately about removing Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor from the line of succession. Outrage, opinion columns, and endless hot takes make it sound as though centuries of royal tradition are about to be rewritten in a single news cycle.

The truth is less dramatic and more revealing. Andrew may technically remain in the line of succession, but the conversation around him tells us far more about the monarchy than it does about any one man. The institution is both fiercely protective and surprisingly fragile. Ironically, the very actions taken to preserve it are the same ones that expose just how vulnerable it really is.

Yes, Andrew remains eighth in line. Titles gone. Duties gone. Reputation shredded. Yet technically, he is still a royal heir, a dusty footnote except when he makes headlines.

And that is the point. This story is not really about Andrew. It is about the monarchy itself. An institution already struggling for relevance has shown how easily it can dispose of one of its own. One misstep, one liability too many, and centuries of ceremony suddenly become optional. The machinery that sustains tradition is the same machinery that can quietly dismantle it.

Andrew’s place in the line of succession is purely academic. He will almost certainly never be king. But his sidelining sends a clear message. No member of the royal family is untouchable. Not the spare. Not the heir. Not the institution as a whole. The monarchy has demonstrated that it can remove pieces of itself when convenient, and once that precedent exists, it becomes difficult to argue that anyone is immune.

There is also a risk here. If the public can be persuaded that one royal is expendable, it becomes easier to ask why the rest should be spared. In attempting to protect itself, the monarchy has revealed how thin the protective layer really is.

And let’s be honest. This is shaping up to be one hell of a tell all. Books, documentaries, podcasts, and confessions are inevitable. Andrew is unlikely to be the final chapter. He is simply the most visible example of an institution willing to sacrifice its own to survive.

So yes, Andrew remains. The monarchy endures. But the real headline is larger than either of those facts. In showing how easy it is to remove one royal, the institution has exposed its own fragility. 

The crown can protect itself, but it can just as easily devour itself.

© Marilyn Braun 2026