Andrew's lasting City honour under threat as officials seek to remove title

The City of London Corporation is taking steps towards creating a new legal route that could allow Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to lose his Freedom of the city, after officials found that the current process for removing the honour is no longer workable.

This follows months of pressure over whether the former prince should continue to hold the historic title, which was awarded to him in 2012 through his family connection, as his father Prince Philip had previously held the status of Freeman.

Earlier this year, the Corporation said the honour could not be withdrawn under existing rules. 

But legal officials have since concluded that there is “currently no effective lawful mechanism” to remove it, prompting work on new legislation.

A spokesperson for the Corporation said: “We understand why people want this matter resolved as quickly as possible, and we share that desire.”

The issue has been under review for several months. In April, officials wrote to Andrew inviting him to voluntarily surrender the honour, but no response was received. 

A month later, the Court of Common Council passed a motion formally censuring him and instructed officers to explore legal options for removal.

At a meeting on July 23, Deputy Marianne Fredericks asked for an update on the progress. 

Policy chairman Deputy Chris Hayward then revealed that a draft legal opinion had found the existing process for withdrawing the Freedom was “defective and defunct.”