Sarah Ferguson has been stripped of the honour Freedom of the City of York. Photo / Dave M. Benett, amfAR15, WireImage
Sarah Ferguson has been stripped of the honour Freedom of the City of York. Photo / Dave M. Benett, amfAR15, WireImage
Sarah Ferguson has been stripped of the Freedom of the City of York as scrutiny intensifies over her links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Ferguson was bestowed the honour, the highest commendation issued by the city in recognition of residents who have shown notable service, in 1987 afterher marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The ceremonial title, which carries no practical privileges, was removed by a unanimous vote by York city councillors today, according to the BBC.
Newly released Epstein files feature photographs of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Photos / US Department of Justice
Councillor Darryl Smalley said: “We now know, following the release of thousands of documents, that Sarah Ferguson, too, had a close friendship with Epstein, which continued well beyond his conviction.
“We don’t expect recipients of York’s highest honour to be saints. We simply do not want them to be best friends of convicted paedophiles.”
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of the honour in 2022, also by unanimous vote, the BBC reported.
Previous holders of the honour include actor Dame Judi Dench and former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Emails released by the United States Department of Justice, last month, revealed Ferguson asked Epstein to hire her as a “house assistant” while he was under house arrest following a conviction for soliciting an underage girl.
“But why I don’t understand, don’t you just get me to be your House Assistant. I am the most capable and desperately need the money. Please Jeffrey think about it,” Ferguson wrote in May 2010.
“I really don’t have the words to describe my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness,” she told him.
“xX I am at your service. Just marry me.”
Sarah has been embroiled in scandal thanks to her and former husband Prince Andrew's association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Photo / Max Mumby, Indigo, Getty Images
Councillor Claire Douglas told the extraordinary meeting that Ferguson’s continued association with Epstein after his crimes became widely known meant she fell “well short” of the standards expected of someone holding the title.
A member of the public, Gwen Swinburn, told the meeting, the decision to remove the Freedom of the City from Ferguson “should not be a difficult one”.
