The granting of the Honorary Freedom (or Freedom Honoris Causa) of the City of London is extremely rare and only generally awarded today to Royalty, Heads of State or to figures of genuine global standing. It is the highest honour which is in the power of the City of London to bestow on someone and usually takes place in Guildhall in the presence of the Common Council and with Lord Mayor, Sheriffs and Aldermen present, along with invited guests. The most recent recipient after a gap of some 11 years was Archbishop Desmond Tutu with the ceremony taking place at Mansion House on 25 November 2013. Nelson Mandela received the same honour as President of South Africa in 1996. The presentation on these occasions is made by the Chamberlain of London, and is often followed by a Guildhall or Mansion House banquet. The first historically to be so honoured was William Pitt the Elder in 1757. For many years, it was the custom to present the Freedom in specially commissioned and unique gold or silver caskets, the design of which was inspired by the background and the achievements of the individual to which it was given. More normal today would be a presentation of a scroll in an inscribed box.
Whilst the Honorary Freedom is indeed a recognition of lifetime achievement or high international standing, the Freedom of the City of London is open to a much wider section of society, and include many who have achieved success, recognition or celebrity in their chosen field. Whilst undoubtedly a privilege, strict instructions are given that the Freedom of the City of London should not be presented to others as being an honour or award. The Freedom of the City of London can be gained through membership of a livery company or by direct application supported by a suitably qualified proposer and seconder. About 1800 Freemen are admitted each year by the Clerk to the Chamberlain of the City of London at a simple but formal ceremony at Guildhall to which friends and family can accompany. A certificate is presented which will be framed on request for a small payment.
There is a long-standing tradition of the City admitting women to the Freedom. Although nowadays usually called Freemen as well, the historically correct way of referring to them is: Free Sisters.
The mixed list below contains just some of the names of people who have received the Freedom or Honorary Freedom over the years:
Peter Ackroyd (awarded on 15 December 2006)
George Arthur
Robert Baden-Powell
Raymond Baxter (awarded in 1978)
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty (awarded on 16 June 1919)
Edward Berry
William Booth (awarded on 26 October 1906)
Robert Borden (awarded on 29 July 1915)
Louis Botha (awarded on 16 April 1907)
James Brooke (awarded in 1847)
Arnold Brown (General of The Salvation Army)
Angela Burdett-Coutts (awarded on 18 July 1872). She was the first woman to be awarded the honorary Freedom.
Michael Caine (awarded on 8 March 2013)
Austen Chamberlain (awarded on 25 March 1926)
Joseph Chamberlain (awarded on 13 February 1902)
Jimmy Choo (awarded on 14 November 2006)
Winston Churchill (awarded on 30 June 1943)
Shaw Clifton (awarded on 13 September 2007)
Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet (awarded on 9 March 1876)
Joan Collins (awarded on 18 September 2014)
Sir Tim Berners-Lee (awarded on 24 September 2014)
Alastair Cook
Frederick Cook (awarded on 15 October 1909)
Crista Cullen (awarded on 23 August 2013)
Nigel Cumberland
Randall Davidson (awarded in 1928)
Dame Judi Dench
Princess Diana
Benjamin Disraeli (awarded on 3 March 1878)
Plácido Domingo (awarded on 16 April 2013)
Alexander Downer, Sr. (awarded in 1965)
Robin Dunster (awarded on 13 September 2007)
Xohan Duran (awarded on 27 April 2016)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (awarded on 12 June 1945)
Morgan Freeman (awarded on 12 November 2014
Stephen Fry
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (awarded on 3 August 1878)
Bill Gates
Bob Geldof (awarded on 16 September 2013)
George, Duke of Cambridge, Prince (awarded on 4 November 1857)
Ron Goodwin
Ulysses S. Grant (awarded on 15 June 1877)
Alan Greenspan (awarded on December 2005)
Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey (awarded on 23 January 1912)
Otto von Habsburg (awarded on 11 July 2007)
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (awarded on 16 June 1919)
George William Helon, JP (awarded on 3 March 2016 and presented on 12 September 2016)
Paul Humphreys (awarded in 1996)
Marjorie Jackson-Nelson (awarded on 24 June 2005)
Edward Jenner
Stephen Jolly
Digby Jones
Teriy Keys (awarded on 18 September 2014)
Salar Jung I
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener (awarded on 4 November 1898)
Helmut Kohl (awarded on 18 February 1998 'as the first European leader').
Lee Kuan Yew
Wilfrid Laurier (awarded on 16 April 1907)
Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey, VC (awarded on 5 May 2016)
Lasse Lehtinen (awarded on 21 September 2007)
Annie Lennox
Ferdinand de Lesseps
Damian Lewis (awarded on 20 March 2013)
William Lidderdale (awarded in 1891)
Charles Lindbergh
David Lloyd George (awarded on 27 April 1917)
Ian McKellen (awarded 30 October 2014)
Nelson Mandela (awarded 10 July 1996)
Renato Martino (awarded on 6 May 2013)
Francis Leopold McClintock (awarded in May 1860)
Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner (awarded on 23 July 1901)
Ed Mirvish
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala
Jawaharlal Nehru
Florence Nightingale (awarded 16 August 1908). She was the second woman who was awarded honorary Freedom.
William Hackett (awarded 15 September 2010)
Ari Norman (awarded on 6 November 1992) for services to the British Silver Industry
Luciano Pavarotti (awarded on 12 November 2005)
Chris Pavlou
George Peabody (awarded 10 July 1862, in recognition of his financial contribution to London's poor)
Frederick Penny, 1st Viscount Marchwood
William Pitt the Elder (received the first honorary Freedom in 1757)
William Pitt the Younger
William Reid (VC)
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt (awarded on 31 May 1910)
John Ross (Arctic explorer) (awarded in March 1834)
J.K. Rowling (awarded on 8 May 2012)
Audrey Russell, broadcaster.
James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez
Jan Smuts (awarded on 1 May 1917)
Henry Morton Stanley (awarded on 13 January 1887)
Eric Sykes
Margaret Thatcher (awarded on 26 May 1989)
Leonard Alexander Thirkettle (Chief Petty Officer Instructor, Sea Cadet Corps - awarded 2006)
Robin Tilbrook (awarded on 27 September 2011)
George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Bernard Weatherill
David Weir (awarded on 3 December 2012)
General Sir James Willcocks (awarded 11 July 1901). Awarded Freedom of the City of London with sword of honour.
William Fenwick Williams
Woodrow Wilson (awarded on 28 December 1918)
Bob Winter (awarded on 10 September 2007)
Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley
Angelo Musa awarded on 19 April 2016.
Kigeli V of Rwanda (awarded on 28 June 2016)
Gerard Francis Claude Basset OBE, MS, MW, MBA, OIV (awarded on 1 September 2016)
• Julia Houghton ( Awarded on 13th November 2008)
