Sarah Ferguson Stripped of York's Freedom Honour Over Epstein Connections
In a decisive move, York councillors have unanimously voted to strip Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, of the ceremonial freedom of the city honour. The action, taken during a council meeting on Thursday evening, follows mounting scrutiny over her documented friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a New York prison in 2019.
Unanimous Council Decision
The council's vote marks a significant step, coming four years after a similar decision was made to revoke the same honour from her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Both were originally granted the freedom of York in 1987 following their wedding, a ceremonial role that, according to the council's website, does not confer any actual privileges in the city.
Liberal Democrat councillor Darryl Smalley, who had previously proposed stripping Andrew of the honour in 2022, addressed the meeting. He stated that initially, he hesitated to judge Ms Ferguson based on her ex-husband's actions. However, he emphasized that the release of thousands of documents has revealed her close friendship with Epstein, which continued well beyond his conviction. "We don't expect the recipients of York's highest honour to be saints," Smalley said. "We simply do not want them to be best friends of convicted paedophiles."
Epstein Files and Continued Associations
Ms Ferguson is mentioned multiple times in the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice. While being named in these documents does not imply wrongdoing, correspondence indicates that she maintained contact with Epstein after his crimes became public. For instance, emails suggest that she and her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, visited him in Miami less than a week after his release from prison in July 2009, with Epstein allegedly paying for their plane tickets.
In an August 2009 email, Ms Ferguson thanked Epstein for being "the brother I have always wished for" and noted his kindness in front of her daughters. Another email referred to him as "my dear spectacular and special friend," adding "you are a legend, and I am so proud of you." Despite this, in a 2011 interview, she claimed she would never associate with Epstein again, calling it a "gigantic error of judgement" and condemning paedophilia.
Broader Implications and Reactions
Labour council leader Claire Douglas reinforced the decision, stating that honorary freedom is reserved for individuals of distinction who have provided eminent services to York. She asserted that those who continued to associate with Epstein after his crimes were known fall short of the values expected from honour holders. This move aligns with broader consequences for Ms Ferguson, including the winding down of six firms linked to her and the closure of her charity, Sarah's Trust, following the release of Epstein files.
The revocation adds to the couple's loss of royal titles in October, when Andrew had his title removed, though Ms Ferguson had already been using only her first and last name professionally. Sky News has approached Ms Ferguson and her representatives for comment, but no response has been provided at this time.
