Andrew Ignores Notice to Relinquish Last Royal Honor as New Trade Envoy Files Emerge
Just when things seemed to have settled for the former Duke Andrew, his past has once again resurfaced to haunt him.
Just when things seemed to have settled for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, his past has once again resurfaced to haunt him. In a recent development, a major civic institution has formally voiced its strong disapproval of Andrew after he refused to step away from a historic civic honor. The City of London Corporation has now passed a motion of censure, adopting a far stricter stance against the disgraced royal after he ignored its request to relinquish the Freedom.
The decision comes amidst a growing legal and institutional pushback regarding his past public roles and controversial personal associations, highlighting a widening rift between the ex-Prince and traditional British establishments. The institution has voiced its "profound disappointment" over Andrew's failure to reply to a letter inviting him to voluntarily step down. The Corporation's Court of Common Council also opined their 'utmost dismay' over Andrew's association with the convicted Jeffrey Epstein and shared that such ties are "wholly unacceptable," and they don't support his actions.
Ever since Andrew's association with Epstein hit the headlines, he has lost a lot of his titles and honors, including his HRH title and dukedom, but things escalated further after his arrest on 19 February 2026. While several organizations revoked their ties with him, the said Corporation can't do the same; hence, they want Andrew to step back himself. It is not a title but a property right, which is protected by both domestic law and the European Convention on Human Rights, leaving the Corporation with no way out. The Freedom of the City of London tradition dates back to 1237 and was originally granted to allow individuals to carry out their trade freely.
The court said officers had been instructed to begin proceedings to enable it to “lawfully remove the Freedom of the City” from the former royal. Andrew had inherited the Freedom of the City of London through family lineage, as the son of Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, who received the honor in 1948. "With the utmost dismay, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's association with the convicted p--------, the late Jeffrey Epstein, and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell," noted the court.
They added, "Whilst it 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." Concluding its stance, the statement read, "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."
