City of London Invites Prince Andrew to Relinquish Freedom

Elected members of the City of London Corporation agreed on Thursday to formally invite Prince Andrew to relinquish his Freedom of the City of London, a ceremonial honor he inherited in 2012 through his father, Prince Philip. The move stems from continued public and official scrutiny over the former prince's association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex trafficking offenses.

The Freedom of the City, one of the corporation's oldest traditions dating back to 1237, originally granted recipients the right to trade and conduct business without feudal restrictions. Today, it serves as a largely symbolic distinction, allowing holders certain ceremonial privileges, such as driving sheep over London Bridge. Prince Andrew received the honor by patrimony, a legal inheritance available to children of existing freemen, rather than through nomination by corporation councillors, as is typical for other recipients including comedian Sir Lenny Henry, actress Cate Blanchett, and footballer Harry Kane. All of Prince Andrew's siblings, including King Charles III, also hold the freedom.

In a statement, a corporation spokesperson explained the limitations on...