The City of York Council in North Yorkshire will hold a meeting on 26 March 2026 to vote on whether to remove the Honorary Freeman of the City status from Sarah Ferguson. This special session will take place at the Guildhall to decide the future of the civic honour she has held since 1987.
The city originally gave the title to Sarah Ferguson as a wedding gift when she visited York with her then-husband, Prince Andrew. This move follows the release of legal files by the US Department of Justice in January 2026, which showed her past associations with Jeffrey Epstein, including calling him her “supreme friend.”
Council leader Claire Douglas stated that the local authority does not support links to Epstein by those who hold titles representing the city. The council is using legal powers that allow them to withdraw honours, which is the same process used when they stripped Prince Andrew of his freedom of the city in 2022.
The public can watch the meeting live online starting at 6:15 pm or attend the Guildhall in person. This vote is the only item on the agenda for the evening and will determine if the former royal remains an honorary citizen of York.
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