PRINCE Andrew should be stripped of his right to stand in for the Queen if she and other senior royals are sick or abroad, experts have said.
He remains one of the counsellors of the state, which means he can still carry out royal duties in the event the Queen is unable to.
The others are Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry – but because Harry now lives in the States and has stepped back from the royal family, Andrew is more likely to be called upon.
Dr Craig Prescott, a royal expert, told The Times it was “inevitable” that Andrew would lose his counsellor of state status.
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He said: “They could draft in Princess Anne or Prince Edward and specifically make them counsellors of state.
"There is a precedent for that, of a fashion, with the Queen Mother. In 1953 she was specifically made an extra counsellor.
“They may look to add the Duchess of Cambridge.”
Royal historian Hugo Vickers backed changes saying: “If Prince Andrew is not taking part in royal life, then he shouldn’t be taking part as a counsellor of state either.”
Andrew settled a civil case in which he was accused of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre while she was underage out of court for £12m.
It comes as York councillors seek to remove Andrew’s freedom of the city.
Andrew was given the Honorary Freedom of the City of York in 1987 but Liberal Democrats, who form the largest group on City of York Council, said a motion to begin the process of removing the honour will be submitted at the next full council meeting on March 24.
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The motion will also call for the prince to relinquish his title as Duke of York in the wake of the settlement of his legal battle with Giuffre.
Andrew had faced widespread calls for him to give up the dukedom, which is one of his last remaining major titles after the Queen stripped him of his honorary military roles and he gave up his HRH style.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who represents York Central, has repeatedly said Andrew should give up his association with the city out of respect.
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