Disgraced Prince Andrew has been dealt another blow after being stripped of yet another honour, following the City of York’s decision to depose him of his title as Honorary Freeman.
Andrew was given the honour in 1987 after his wedding to Sarah Ferguson, however, on Wednesday, April 27, the York City Council voted to remove the prestigious title in a meeting that only lasted 40 minutes.
York town hall chief Darryl Smalley told The Sun that removing the title “sends the right message that we as a city stand with victims of abuse”.
“The next logical step is now for Prince Andrew to do the right thing and relinquish his Duke of York title,” he said.
“If he fails to do so, the Government and Buckingham Palace must step in to remove his title to finally end Prince Andrew’s connection to York.”
The bombshell announcement comes after the Queen stripped Prince Andrew of his military titles and royal patronage on January 13, after the fallout from his sexual abuse allegations.
A statement released by Buckingham Palace on Thursday, January 13, announced the decision regarding the Duke of York.
“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,” the statement said.
“The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
Calls for Andrew to relinquish his Honorary Freeman title began to gain traction earlier this year when City of York Labour MP Rachael Maskell told The Guardian, “this association with York must end”.
“It’s untenable for the Duke of York to cling on to his title another day longer,” she said.
“There’s a very serious allegation made against this man of privilege and entitlement. I’m working with agencies to tackle sexual violence and misogyny.”
DISCLAIMER: If you are concerned about violence or misconduct impacting you, your family, friends or workplace, the numbers below may help. National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service — 1800 737 732, Mensline Australia — 1300 789 978, Relationships Australia — 1300 364 277, BeyondBlue — 1300 224 636; Suicide Call Back Service — 1300 659 467; Headspace — 1800 650 890; Kids Helpline — 1800 551 800; Lifeline Australia — 13 11 14 for confidential support, advice and referral that will help you explore your options.