Sarah Ferguson Loses York Freedom Title Over Epstein Ties

Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, was stripped of her honorary Freedom of the City of York title on March 26 following a unanimous vote by the City of York Council. The decision, made during a meeting at the Guildhall, cited her continued association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction for sex offenses.

The honor, awarded to Ferguson in 1987 shortly after her marriage to then-Prince Andrew, recognizes individuals for distinguished service to the city. Past recipients include Winston Churchill and Judi Dench. Ferguson's ex-husband lost the same title in 2022 amid his own Epstein connections, and both were relieved of their royal titles by King Charles in October 2025. Ferguson, who divorced Andrew in 1996 but continued to live with him at Royal Lodge in Windsor, had retained the Duchess of York style until then.

Council leader Claire Douglas stated that holding the status requires upholding values consistent with the honor. "Those who continued to associate with Jeffrey Epstein after his crimes became widely known fall well short of these expectations," she said. "Sarah Ferguson falls into this category as the Epstein files have shown."...