The disgraced individual, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, is facing the loss of one of his remaining honors as he did not comply with the request to voluntarily relinquish it. Despite having his royal titles revoked earlier by the King in connection with the Epstein scandal, he managed to retain the Freedom of the City of London, which he inherited through his late father, Prince Philip.
The City of London Corporation, responsible for the Square Mile, initially believed it lacked the authority to revoke the honor. After Andrew’s failure to respond to the request, legal officials are now drafting a bill that, if approved, would empower elected members to vote on its removal.
Andrew, formerly the Duke of York, was briefly detained earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office but was not formally charged. The City of London Corporation is in the process of establishing a procedure to enable the removal of the Freedom of the City of London when deemed necessary.
In recent developments, the Corporation passed a formal disapproval motion against Andrew for his association with Epstein, deeming it incompatible with the responsibilities of a Freeman of the City of London. The Corporation expressed solidarity with victims of Epstein and all survivors of sexual abuse.
The Freedom of the City of London, a symbolic role awarded by Corporation councillors, dates back to 1237 and historically facilitated trade activities. Notable recent recipients include Major Tim Peake and Sir Lenny Henry, with Andrew’s siblings also holding this honor.
Andrew’s association with Epstein led to the revocation of his freedom of York in 2022. Discussions are ongoing regarding potential legislation to exclude him from the line of succession, subject to the completion of the police investigation. The move would necessitate parliamentary approval and agreement from Commonwealth realms, with support voiced by leaders of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.