Sarah Ferguson Loses Honorary Freedom of City of York
Sarah Ferguson has been stripped of her honorary Freedom of the City of York, marking another significant setback for the former Duchess of York.
The city councillors voted unanimously to remove the honour, which Ferguson had held since 1987 following her marriage to then-Prince Andrew. This decision was made at an extraordinary meeting held on Thursday evening.
The removal comes amid increasing scrutiny of Ferguson’s association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice earlier this year.
It is important to note that being named in the Epstein files does not imply any wrongdoing. The BBC has reached out to Ferguson's representatives for comment but has not received a response.
Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were awarded the honorary Freedom during a visit to York, a year after their 1986 marriage.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his Freedom of the City of York in 2022.
Last year, King Charles removed his younger brother’s remaining titles and honours, including his prince title, amid mounting pressure over his connections to Epstein.
City of York Council's Position on Ferguson's Links to Epstein
Regarding Ferguson, the City of York council’s Labour leader Claire Douglas stated in October:
"We deplore the links and continued associations with Jeffrey Epstein by those carrying the York title beyond the time the gravity of his crimes became clear."
During Thursday’s meeting, councillors debated a motion to revoke Ferguson’s honorary Freedom before voting unanimously in favour of the measure.
The Freedom of the City of York is an accolade previously awarded to notable figures such as Sir Winston Churchill and Dame Judi Dench.
Previous Removal of Prince Andrew's Freedom
The motion to remove Mountbatten-Windsor’s honorary Freedom was passed unanimously three years ago at a full council meeting.
The motion was introduced by Liberal Democrat councillor Darryl Smalley, who said at the time:
"Having been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the Queen, we believe that it is right to remove all links that Prince Andrew still has with our great city.
"I was pleased to see councillors of all parties support this motion and make it clear that it is no longer appropriate for Prince Andrew to represent York and its residents."
Impact on Charitable Associations and Titles
Several charities have already severed ties with Ferguson after an email from 2011 surfaced, in which she referred to Epstein as her "supreme friend" and appeared to apologise for publicly criticising him.
In October, Ferguson lost her duchess title when her ex-husband relinquished his Duke of York title due to his links with Epstein.
New Revelations from Epstein Files
New details about Ferguson’s relationship with Epstein emerged in the extensive document release earlier this year.
The emails indicate that Ferguson contacted Epstein while he was incarcerated for soliciting prostitution from a minor. They also suggest she took her daughters to lunch with Epstein in Miami shortly after his release from prison.
Calls for Ferguson to Testify
Last weekend, the BBC reported increasing calls for Ferguson to provide evidence regarding her connections to Epstein.
US lawmakers have repeatedly sought, without success, to question her former husband about his links to the late financier and convicted sex offender. Now, Ferguson is being urged to cooperate similarly.
On Thursday, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the House Oversight Committee investigating Epstein’s prosecution, sent a letter to Ferguson requesting her to submit to questioning by the committee.
"It is clear that you possessed social and business ties to Mr Epstein and have knowledge of information that can assist our investigation," he wrote.
There is currently no legal mechanism to compel Ferguson to testify in the United States.
When asked for a response regarding the calls from US politicians, Ferguson’s representatives declined to comment.
