Freedom of city of York is latest loss for Andrew following civil sex case

PA Wire

A decision by councillors to strip the Duke of York of his freedom of their city is the latest loss for Andrew amid the fallout from a civil sex case against the royal.

Following the February legal settlement with his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, City of York Council members representing all the main parties have voted for a motion to remove Andrew’s honour.

He was given the freedom honour from York in 1987 and he is the first person ever to have it removed, the council meeting was told.

The dukedom was a gift from his mother on his wedding day in 1986 and was previously used by the Queen’s father George VI.

Andrew’s role escorting the Queen to the memorial service in March has raised the prospect that he might appear during the Platinum Jubilee weekend (Richard Pohle/The Times/PA) (PA Wire)

In January, ahead of the legal settlement, the Queen stripped Andrew of his honorary military roles and he gave up his HRH style.

The honorary military roles he returned to the Queen were: Colonel of the Grenadier Guards; Honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth; Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; Colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps; Commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm; Royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland; Deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeth’s Own); Colonel-in-chief of the Yorkshire Regiment; Colonel-in-chief of the Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment); Colonel-in-chief of The Royal Highland Fusiliers Of Canada; Colonel-in-chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (The Duke of York’s Own); Colonel-in-chief of the Princess Louise Fusiliers (in Nova Scotia, Canada).

Many of those at the City of York Council meeting said they wanted Andrew to relinquish his Duke of York title (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

In January, he also gave up his honorary membership at the prestigious home of golf – the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in Fife.

Many of those who spoke at the City of York Council meeting on Wednesday said they wanted Andrew to relinquish his Duke of York title.

Buckingham Palace and a spokesperson for Andrew declined to comment.

The Queen’s second son made a rare public appearance at a Westminster Abbey service in March in memory of his father, the Duke of Edinburgh.

His central role escorting the Queen to the memorial service has raised the prospect of Andrew putting in an appearance during the Platinum Jubilee weekend in June.