UK city releases letter against ex Prince Andrew: ‘A profound disappointment!’

The formal backlash against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) has escalated beyond royal and judicial circles to the civic heart of London. On Thursday, May 21, 2026, the City of London Corporation officially passed a motion of censure against him, publicly expressing its "profound disappointment" over his refusal to surrender his Freedom of the City.

The escalating confrontation marks another chapter in his complete exclusion from civic and public life following his high-profile arrest in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The Censure: Why the City of London Is Speaking Out

The City of London Corporation’s Court of Common Council—the governing body of London's historic financial district—voted to issue a formal, stinging rebuke. The resolution pulled no punches regarding his historical association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

In its official motion, the Court declared:

“Whilst it recognises that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor maintains that he has done nothing wrong, it nevertheless considers that his well-publicised association with Epstein is wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with his status and obligations as a Freeman of the City of London.

The Court notes with profound disappointment that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has not surrendered his Freedom despite being formally asked to do so.”

The council emphasized that the decision to issue the public shaming was made "in solidarity with Epstein's victims and survivors."

The Legal Loophole: Why He Wasn't Simply Stripped of It

Many members of the public have questioned why London didn't simply strip him of the title immediately, much like the City of York did to Sarah Ferguson earlier this year.

The issue boils down to an ancient legal distinction in how the honor was originally granted:

• A Property Right, Not an Honor: Unlike honorary titles given to celebrities, Andrew inherited his Freedom of the City of London in 2012 via patrimony (as the child of a Freeman, the late Prince Philip).

• Legal Protections: Under domestic law and the European Convention on Human Rights, a freedom obtained through patrimony is classified as a personal property right. Because it was not a gift voted on by councillors, the City Corporation does not currently possess the unilateral legal power to revoke it.

What Happens Next?

Because Andrew ignored the initial letter inviting him to voluntarily step down, the City Corporation has refused to let the matter drop. Alongside the formal censure, the Court of Common Council has officially instructed its legal officers to commence formal proceedings to alter the rules, aiming to find a lawful pathway to forcibly strip him of the Freedom.

The civic rebuke comes at an incredibly perilous time for the former Duke. Following the unsealing of U.S. Department of Justice documents alleging he leaked confidential British trade reports to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010, King Charles III stripped his brother of his dukedom and princely status. With an active police investigation underway, the City of London's public denunciation ensures that his civic standing is being dismantled just as thoroughly as his royal identity.