The 2026 BRITs is the time for a celebration of music and arts, but host Jack Whitehall also made sure to get in a dig about disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – and the audience loved it
As Jack introduced James Blunt and Maya Jama to the stage to announce the winner of Artist of the Year category, Jack called James “the only man posher than me at the Brits”. He then quipped that James “was about 30th in line to the throne… might be 29th soon”. An audience member told HELLO! that the whole crowd went wild, cheering for the joke.
© Getty ImagesJack Whitehall quipped about Andrew’s place in the line of succession
King Charles and the royal family are under intense pressure to remove Andrew from the line of succession in the wake of Andrew’s arrest at Sandringham on suspicion of misconduct in public office during his time as UK trade envoy.
He is also facing continued scrutiny over revelations concerning his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after documents were released by the US government.
© WireImageJames and Maya Jama present the Artist of the Year Award on stage
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has written to the UK’s Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to say his government would back “any proposal” to remove Andrew from the line of succession, writing that “Australians take [these allegations] seriously.”
After the existence of the letter was revealed, royal expert Phil Dampier confirmed that it is “quite likely” that Andrew will be removed, telling HELLO! that he would be “astonished” if no action is taken.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesAndrew has come under scrutiny in recent years
He said: “I think it will probably happen within six months. It could happen quite quickly – whether he ends up being charged or ending up in court or not. The political will and public opinion are so strong that it would end up being a gesture in some ways. He’s clearly not going to come back as a working royal and the monarchy only exists with the support of the public.”
© WireImageJames and Sofia attend the Christening of Athena Mapelli Mozzi at Chapel Royal, St James’ Palace
James has had a long history with the British royal family, having grown up in their circles as well as attending Harrow School, and graduating from Sandhurst where he joined the Life Guards, where he rose to the rank of Captain.
In 2009 James met Princess Eugenie in an Ibiza nightclub while they were both on holiday, and the pair became firm friends, with James getting to know her sister, Princess Beatrice, as well.
© Getty ImagesJames and Princess Eugenie attend the Sentebale Concert at Kensington Palace on June 28, 2016
James attended Eugenie’s royal’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018, and in December 2025 he led the celebrity arrivals attending the christening of Princess Beatrice’s daughter Athena.
James and Prince Harry were both in the army at the same time, and James once joked that “there was a time when Harry would call me Sir’.”
© Getty ImagesPrince Harry chats with James as he rehearses for the Invictus Games Closing Ceremony in 2014
They formed a friendship, which saw Harry invite James to perform at the 2014 and 2016 Invictus Games, as well as attend Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018.
In 2012 he began dating Sofia Wellesley, a member of the British aristocracy, born to Lord John Henry Wellesley and Lady Corinne Vaes and the granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington.