Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed support for removing former Prince Andrew from the line of royal succession, calling his actions “deplorable.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who previously held the title of Duke of York, has been under investigation for alleged misconduct during his time as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011. Authorities are probing claims that he shared confidential information with the late US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The former royal was arrested in February over these allegations but released pending further inquiries. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Last year, Andrew was stripped of his royal titles following his connection to Epstein.

“There is a process to follow, but his conduct, which led to the loss of his royal titles, certainly justifies considering his removal from the succession,” Carney said during a press conference in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Carney’s remarks come after both Australia and New Zealand publicly supported the idea of removing Andrew from the line of succession.

Any formal change would require the UK to initiate the process and secure agreement from the 14 other Commonwealth realms that recognize King Charles III as their head of state.

Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked to have sex with the royal. The settlement did not include an admission of guilt. Giuffre tragically passed

away last year.