Council unanimously removes Freedom of the City title over past association
Sarah Ferguson has been stripped of one of her most prominent honorary titles after councillors in York voted unanimously to revoke her Freedom of the City status.
The decision follows renewed scrutiny of her past association with Jeffrey Epstein, brought back into focus by recently released documents.
Liberal Democrat councillor Darryl Smalley said the move reflects the city’s values, stating that while honourees are not expected to be flawless, maintaining close ties with a convicted offender is unacceptable. He added that the council stands with victims and supports the rule of law and basic decency.
Councillor Claire Douglas echoed the sentiment, stressing that such honours require individuals to uphold standards expected by the public. She argued that continued association with Epstein after his crimes became widely known falls short of those expectations.
The council backed the motion without opposition, formally removing Ferguson from the list of those holding York’s highest civic distinction.
