Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been invited to step down from his title of Freedom of the City of London. The decision comes after London councillors sent a formal letter to the former prince, urging him to relinquish the honor he inherited in 2012. This title was originally bestowed upon him by his late father, Prince Philip, who was also a Freeman of the City.
Despite growing calls for Andrew to lose the title, the City of London Corporation has maintained that once an honor is granted, it cannot be revoked. According to the BBC, the corporation has previously stated this policy, emphasizing that there is no legal mechanism to remove such an inherited title.
A spokesperson for the corporation confirmed: “Elected members have today agreed to write to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, inviting him to formally relinquish the Freedom.” They added that the council would review any response and consider further action at a future meeting. The spokesperson also noted that applications via patrimony—where titles are inherited—are not supported by the elected members, and there is no effective legal way to strip someone of an inherited Freedom.
The process of receiving the Freedom of the City of London typically involves either inheriting the title or being granted it through an Honorary Freedom council vote. To date, no one has ever been stripped of an inherited Freedom of the City of London.
Only two individuals have had their honorary titles removed: disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein and former State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi. The honor of being named a Freeman dates back to at least 1237, making it one of the oldest surviving ceremonies in the world. Originally, it signified that an individual was no longer the property of a feudal lord. Over time, the meaning evolved to allow Freemen to trade within the city of London.
In modern times, the title is symbolic and given to individuals nominated by city councillors. Notable recipients include Australian actress Cate Blanchett and all of Andrew’s siblings, including the current King.
Andrew has lost all of his royal titles following a formal decision by King Charles in November last year. The King issued a Letters Patent, a centuries-old document used by monarchs to bestow or remove titles, which officially removed Andrew’s title of “His Royal Highness” (HRH) and the title Duke of York.
The changes were announced in the UK’s official public record, The Gazette, on Wednesday. The statement read: “THE KING has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 3 November 2025 to declare that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince.'”
This decision came after a serious lapse in judgment regarding Andrew’s friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The former prince was arrested on his 66th birthday, February 19, on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly forwarding confidential trade documents to Epstein. He was questioned by police for over 10 hours before being released without charges. Andrew denies any wrongdoing.
