‘Wholly unacceptable and inconsistent’: City of London says ex-Prince Andrew faces removal of Freedom honor amid Epstein scandal
The City of London Corporation (CLC) is initiating proceedings to revoke Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Freedom of the City of London after he declined to surrender the honor voluntarily.
The corporation’s Court of Common Council has approved a new legal process allowing it to remove the honor, with formal proceedings against the former prince expected to begin as “a matter of urgency” (per Daily Mail).
Andrew received the honor in 2012 by patrimony as Prince Philip’s son. Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, was awarded the honor in 1948.
The city approved process to remove the honor
This action follows a legal review that found the corporation previously lacked an effective legal method for revoking the honor. Under the new procedure, each case will be assessed based on its specific circumstances and the law.
The individual subject to removal will be notified and given the opportunity to submit written representations before a final decision is made. Officers have been instructed to begin this process in Andrew’s case. The proposal is expected to return to the Court of Common Council for a decision in December.
Epstein association at the center of censure
The corporation’s action is based on Andrew’s association with convicted s** offender Jeffrey Epstein. In May, the CLC passed a motion of censure after Andrew did not respond to an earlier request to relinquish the Freedom.
In its full motion published in May, the court said, “Whilst [the court] recognizes that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor maintains that he has done nothing wrong, it nevertheless considers that his well-publicized association with Epstein is wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with his status and obligations as a Freeman of the City of London.”
“In the circumstances, and in solidarity with Epstein’s victims and survivors, the court wishes to remove Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s Freedom consistent with decisions already taken by His Majesty the King and other military and civil bodies to strip him of his offices and honors,” it added.
Investigation into Andrew widened
Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The allegation involves sensitive information he allegedly provided to Epstein while serving as the U.K.’s trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police, which is leading the investigation, announced in May that the inquiry had been expanded to include s** trafficking. Materials Andrew allegedly shared include reports of official trips to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore, as well as a confidential briefing on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
Epstein links and royal fallout
Andrew previously settled a case brought on behalf of the late Virginia Giuffre for a reported £12 million before trial. Giuffre alleged she had s** with Andrew at age 17 in London, New York and on Epstein’s Caribbean island. Andrew did not admit liability as part of the settlement and has consistently denied wrongdoing.
U.S. Department of Justice files later revealed messages between Andrew and Epstein from 2010 in which they discussed setting Andrew up with a 26-year-old “friend” of Epstein. In late 2025, the King removed Andrew’s right to be a prince and stripped him of his dukedom due to his association with Epstein. He remains eighth in line to the throne.