City of London Drafts Bill That Could Strip Ex-Prince Andrew of 'Irrevocable' Honour

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is facing another possible stripping of honour. This time, the City of London Corporation's lawyers are drafting a bill to create a process to remove the Freedom of the City of London honour bestowed on the former prince. The tribute is currently regarded as irrevocable.

The City of London previously said the tribute could not be removed as there is 'currently no effective lawful mechanism to do so.' If passed, the bill does not automatically mean stripping of the honour, as it will only spell out the process of removal.

What Is the Freedom of the City of London?

The Freedom of the City of London is a long-standing tradition dating back to 1237, originally granting a 'freeman,' or a person not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord, the right to trade without feudal restrictions. Although feudalism was abolished in 1660, the award has endured as a symbolic recognition and is now bestowed on people who have strong ties to London.

Mountbatten-Windsor received the honour in 2012 'by virtue of patrimony' as his late father, Prince Philip, was a freeman. The late Duke of Edinburgh received the Freedom of the City of London on 14 June 1948 at the Guildhall in London. While it doesn't carry any monetary awards or legal responsibilities, it is a 'recognition of lifetime achievement or high international standing.'

'From the Middle Ages to the Victorian era, the Freedom represented the right to trade, enabling members of a Guild or Livery Company to carry out their business in the Square Mile,' the City of London said of the award. It is not an honour approved by the Common Council; hence, there is no way to strip Mountbatten-Windsor of it. The proposed bill would change that, though any decision to strip the former prince of the title would require further deliberation.

Pressure From the Public

The City of London faced mounting pressure to strip Mountbatten-Windsor of the honour following his arrest in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, related to his ties to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The disgraced former prince was released without charge but remains under investigation.

'We understand why people want this matter resolved as quickly as possible, and we share that desire,' a City of London Corporation spokesperson told the media. 'The fastest and most appropriate approach is to put in place a lawful process that allows the City Corporation to make these decisions itself, rather than seeking legislation through Parliament.'

Common Councilman Marianne Fredericks raised the issue of the removal of Mountbatten-Windsor's title, asking for an update during a meeting of the Court of Common Council on 23 July. City of London Policy Chair Chris Hayward said the bill is currently being finalised and is expected to be presented to the Policy and Resources Committee by September. Once approved, it will go before the Court in October.

Slew of Honours Stripped From Ex-Prince Andrew

In October 2025, King Charles III stripped his younger brother of his birth title, 'Prince,' and all remaining styles befitting a member of the royal family. That same month, the former prince voluntarily said he would stop using his legal title of Duke of York. Since then, he has been known by his full legal name of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The late Queen Elizabeth II also stripped her son of his honorary military titles and royal patronages in 2022. Despite these losses, he remains eighth in the royal line of succession.