Disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is facing the loss of one of his remaining honors as he has not complied with the request to relinquish it voluntarily.
Despite losing all his royal titles following the Epstein files scandal last October, the former Duke of York managed to hold onto the Freedom of the City of London, an honor he inherited from his late father, Prince Philip. The City of London Corporation, responsible for the Square Mile, initially believed they couldn’t revoke this honor and wrote to Andrew asking him to give it up voluntarily.
With no response from Andrew, legal officials at the Corporation are now working on a new bill that, if approved, would allow elected members to vote on revoking the honor. Andrew was briefly detained earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office but was not charged and denies any wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation stated that they are establishing a process to remove the Freedom of the City of London when necessary since there is currently no effective legal mechanism to do so. The Corporation emphasized the importance of resolving this matter promptly through a lawful process conducted internally rather than seeking external legislation.
Following Andrew’s failure to respond to the initial request, a motion of censure was passed against him in May by the City Corporation’s Court of Common Council. The court expressed deep disappointment that despite being asked, Andrew had not surrendered the honor, considering his association with Jeffrey Epstein incompatible with the obligations of a Freeman of the City of London.
The City Corporation reiterated its support for victims of sexual abuse and exploitation while discussing the significance of the Freedom of the City of London, which is mainly ceremonial and dates back to the 13th century. Notable recent recipients of this honor include astronaut Major Tim Peake and comedian Sir Lenny Henry.
Andrew’s legal troubles are ongoing, with investigations into potential misconduct and allegations of sharing sensitive information with Epstein. In light of the situation, there are discussions about removing him from the line of succession, pending the conclusion of the police inquiry into his actions. Such a decision would necessitate parliamentary approval and consent from the Commonwealth realms, with support already indicated by key Commonwealth leaders.