Sarah Ferguson<\/a> has been stripped of the Freedom of the City of York after councillors voted unanimously to remove the honour over her association with Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Sarah Ferguson has been stripped of the Freedom of the City of York after councillors voted unanimously to remove the honour over her association with Jeffrey Epstein<\/p>\n
City of York Council approved the decision during a meeting at the Guildhall on Thursday (26.03.26) evening, citing concerns about Sarah\u2019s links to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died aged 66. <\/p>\n
The honorary title had been awarded to Sarah in 1987 following her marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, but councillors said the association raised questions about whether she met the standards expected of recipients. <\/p>\n
Their motion, passed under Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, formally withdrew the status. <\/p>\n
The move follows earlier action in 2022 when Andrew was also stripped of the honour. <\/p>\n
\nIt comes after the emergence of a 2011 email in which Sarah described Epstein as \u201ca steadfast, generous and supreme friend\u201d, sent after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.<\/p>\n
\nCouncillor Darryl Smalley said during the meeting: \u201cWe 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.\u201d <\/p>\n
\nHe added: \u201cWe don\u2019t expect recipients of York\u2019s highest honour to be saints. We simply do not want them to be best friends of convicted paedophiles.\u201d He said: \u201cWe stand with victims. We stand for the rule of the rule of law. We stand for decency.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nGwen Swinburn, addressing councillors as a member of the public, said: \u201cThe decision before you tonight is whether to remove the freedom of the city from Ms Ferguson.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt should not be a difficult one. It is the absolute minimum you should be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nCouncillor Claire Douglas said: \u201cAs the people of York would expect, holding this status requires upholding the values and behaviours consistent with such an honour.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThose who continued to associate with Jeffrey Epstein after his crimes became widely known fall well short of these expectations.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSarah Ferguson falls into this category as the Epstein files have shown. I therefore call on council to support the motion as presented.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe council has previously stated that the honorary freedom is granted to individuals who have provided exceptional service or are considered distinguished public figures. <\/p>\n
\nFollowing the release of the Epstein files, records from Companies House showed six companies linked to Sarah began winding down operations, while her charity, Sarah\u2019s Trust, announced it would close \u201cfor the foreseeable future\u201d.<\/p>\n
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