Sarah Ferguson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein are casting a longer shadow over her public legacy, as the City of York moved swiftly to strip the Duchess of York of a ceremonial honor in a rare, unanimous vote.
Ferguson’s honorary Freedom of the City of York was stripped by the city’s council in a unanimous vote on Thursday, the BBC reported. The move comes after Ferguson’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was exposed in investigative files released by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Royal experts claimed the removal, although mostly ceremonial, cemented a dramatic shift in how Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former wife is viewed by the British. Once known for her charisma and public appeal, Ferguson’s past associations with Epstein are now overshadowing decades of public service.
“While not unprecedented, stripping royal titles is rare,” Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. “Andrew was the first person to have the Freedom of the City of York revoked, making this a significant move. It is largely a ceremonial honour and will not change Andrew and Sarah’s lives. However, it highlights their fall from grace, their reputational damage, diminished status and, considering they were the former Duke and Duchess of York, the removal of the titles is a big deal. It certainly highlights that actions have consequences.”
The City Council’s debate over whether to remove Ferguson’s honorary title was “shockingly brief,” according to one royal expert. Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital the whole ordeal “actually took less than 10 minutes” and is “totally unheard of.”
“They all wanted to ‘draw a line’ to protect the city’s reputation,” she added.
The Freedom of the City in Britain is largely symbolic rather than a serious appointment, but it still amounts to “another slap in the face” for Ferguson, Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. The royal expert claimed Ferguson is “so traumatized by the derogatory events recently” that the vote is unlikely to have much impact on her.
Fordwich explained that the council acted on behalf of the public, calling the move the “most damning condemnation.”
“Needless to say, no one is speaking up on behalf of the disgraced former York couple nor Sarah Ferguson,” she said. “No one is stepping up with any objection to this move nor to redeem them, as they are too entwined with the revolting Epstein scandal. This is York making a totally clean break from the despicable couple.”
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Meanwhile, King Charles and Prince William seem focused on protecting the monarchy as this all plays out.
“They’ve stripped Andrew of his titles and are distancing the royal family from controversy, indicating a strategic approach, focusing on a more streamlined and controversy-free image,” Chard said.
William was “totally right” to oust the couple from royal life, Fordwich added.
“His focus has always been preservation of the monarchy,” she added. “There will be no further public contact with the former York couple.”
Other cities or organizations could take cues from York and reconsider their ties to former Prince Andrew and Ferguson, as recent developments unfold and the royal family continues working to separate itself from controversy.
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Neither former Prince Andrew nor Ferguson have a future within the monarchy, according to Richard Fitzwilliam. The royal expert predicted a bleak path forward for Mountbatten-Windsor but noted Ferguson could get away with writing a memoir.
“He has had no popular support for years,” Fitzwilliam told Fox News Digital. “He was, as the world knows from that ghastly photograph taken in the back of the car, recently arrested for misconduct in public office and several police forces are reportedly investigating further. There is pressure on their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie too.”
“The monarchy faces a serious crisis. It can’t respond easily as the Epstein files are released in a haphazard way,” he added. “The Palace is therefore perpetually on the back foot and if it ends up in court, it would be a cause célèbre.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Ferguson’s reps for comment.