The City of London Corporation has formally invited Ex-Prince Andrew to relinquish his prestigious freedom of the city honour amid explosive claims that King Charles has permanently cut all personal ties with his brother.
Elected members of the Square Mile's governing body agreed on Thursday, 16 April 2026, to write to the man now increasingly referred to in official documents as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following a series of reputational blows that have left the monarchy in crisis.
Unlike honours granted through merit, the Duke of York received his freedom by 'patrimony' in 2012, an inherited right as the son of a freeman. This technicality has created a significant legal brick wall for the Corporation, which lacks the statutory power to strip the award once it has been conferred.
Instead, councillors have opted for a high-stakes political manoeuvre, forcing the disgraced royal to choose between a voluntary forfeit or further public embarrassment. This civic snub comes asPalace sourcesdescribe the silence between the King and his younger brother as 'deafening', with Charles reportedly convinced he was lied to regarding the extent of Andrew's links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As of now, the King has allegedly made it clear that there is no path back to public or private life for Andrew, citing both moral concerns and a complex constitutional risk involving any potential legal proceedings brought in the sovereign's name.
The City of London Corporation confirmed that the disgraced ex-prince remains a freeman of the Square Mile, but stressed that his award was not something its councillors had ever actively endorsed.
Why Charles may NEVER speak to Andrew again: As Edward and Anne reach out to shamed brother over fears for his 'fragile mental state', we reveal how the King can't forgive himhttps://t.co/IoI4CWNHnr
In a carefully worded statement, a spokesperson for the local authority said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had received the Freedom of the City 'by virtue of patrimony, which is inherited as the child of a freeman and constitutes a legal right.'
They added that applications granted in this way 'are not considered or endorsed by our elected members, and there is no effective legal mechanism to remove this type of freedom.' In other words, the Corporation cannot simply strip Andrew of the honour, even if its members are uncomfortable with his continued association with it.
Faced with that legal brick wall, councillors opted for a political solution. 'Elected members have today agreed to write to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, inviting him to formally relinquish the freedom,' the spokesperson said. 'They will consider the response received, if any, at a future meeting and determine what action may be taken.'
Source: International Business Times UK
