Prince Andrew loses ‘Freedom of the City’ honor amid sex abuse scandal: ‘No longer appropriate’
Calls have been made for the Duke of York to relinquish his title
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prince Andrew has lost another title.
During a meeting at York Racecourse Wednesday night, councilors voted unanimously to strip the 62-year-old of his "Freedom of the City of York" honor, ITV reported. Queen Elizabeth II's third child, known as the Duke of York, was given the title in 1987 shortly after his marriage to ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
"The honor is held by many notable and accomplished people who carry it with pride and responsibly," said Darryl Smalley, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Culture, as quoted by the outlet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Having been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the queen, we believe that it is right to remove all links that Prince Andrew still has with our great city. I was pleased to see councilors of all parties support this motion and make it clear that it is no longer appropriate for Prince Andrew to represent York and its residents. The removal of this honorary title sends the right message that we as a city stand with victims of abuse."
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is Queen Elizabeth II's third child. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP)
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The campaign to remove the honorary title came amid the royal’s scandal involving his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit.
Andrew remains the Duke of York as he keeps the title bestowed on him by the queen, 96. However, York councilors have made calls for the prince to relinquish that title.
"The next logical step is now for Prince Andrew to do the right thing and relinquish his Duke of York title," Smalley said. "If he fails to do so, the government and Buckingham Palace must step in to remove his title to finally end Prince Andrew’s connection to York."
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In March, Queen Elizabeth II attended the service of thanksgiving honoring her late husband Prince Philip on the arm of their disgraced son. (Getty Images)
In January, the queen stripped Andrew of his military titles and patronages. He is still in the line of succession to the throne. He is currently ninth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two children. However, Andrew may not use "His Royal Highness" in any capacity.
The Duke of York title is one traditionally held by the next sibling in the line of succession behind the Prince or Princess of Wales. That title is held by Andrew's brother, Prince Charles, who is first in line to the British throne.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On March 29, Andrew accompanied the queen for a service of thanksgiving honoring his late father, Prince Philip. The reigning monarch’s choice of escort was seen as support for her son after he settled a lawsuit that was linked to his relationship with Epstein.
Andrew’s role underscored that he is still a member of the royal family, even after the scandal rocked the palace.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A photo from 2001 that was included in court files shows Prince Andrew with his arm around the waist of 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who said Jeffrey Epstein paid her to have sex with the prince. Andrew has denied the charges. In the background is Epstein's girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. (U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals)
Andrew strenuously denied Giuffre’s allegations after she sued him. She accused the British royal of sexually abusing her while she traveled with Epstein in 2001 when she was 17.
Giuffre, 38, reached a settlement with Andrew after a judge rejected the prince’s bid to win early dismissal of the lawsuit earlier this year.
In a letter to the judge from Giuffre's attorney David Boies, a statement was included that said, in part, "Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to the statement, Andrew acknowledged that Epstein trafficked "countless young girls" over many years and said the prince "regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others."
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Prince Andrew, the Duke Of York, and Jeffrey Epstein (far right) at Ascot. With them are Edward (far left) and Caroline Stanley (in pink), the Earl and Countess of Derby. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
He also pledged to support the victims of sex trafficking as part of demonstrating his regret.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Giuffre asserted that she met Andrew while she traveled frequently with Epstein between 2000 and 2002 when, her lawyers maintain, she was "on call for Epstein for sexual purposes" and was "lent out to other powerful men," including Andrew.
Her lawsuit said she suffered significant emotional and psychological distress and harm. She alleged she had sex with Andrew three times: in London during a 2001 trip, at Epstein’s New York mansion when she was 17 and in the Virgin Islands when she was 18.
Andrew repeatedly denied Giuffre’s allegations and has said he can’t recall ever meeting her, although a photograph of Giuffre and Andrew together in a London townhouse, his arm around her bare midriff, was included in Giuffre’s lawsuit against him.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Virginia Roberts Giuffre holds a photo of herself at age 16, when she says Palm Beach multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein began abusing her sexually. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Inconsistencies in her statements over the years that would have been highlighted by Andrew’s attorneys at trial may have motivated her, in part, to settle, though she has explained them as innocent mistakes that occurred when recalling traumatic events years later.
Andrew spent years combating concerns about his links to Epstein, the U.S. financier who took his life at age 66 in 2019 in a Manhattan federal lockup while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Epstein’s longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of related charges.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A settlement of Andrew's lawsuit followed deals reached by Giuffre years ago to resolve separate lawsuits against Maxwell and Epstein. It was recently revealed that Epstein settled for $500,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.