Seychellois ophthalmologist admitted as Freeman of the City of London   |09 April 2026

Seychellois ophthalmologist Don Williams being admitted as a Freeman of the City of London Corporation (Photo: Contributed)

Seychellois ophthalmologist Don Williams, an advanced practitioner in ophthalmology based in the United Kingdom, has been admitted as a Freeman of the City of London Corporation, one of Britain’s oldest surviving civic honours.

The distinction is believed to date back to 1237, when the Freedom of the City carried legal and commercial significance within medieval London and marked the status of a recognised “free man” of the city.

The honour is embedded in the rich constitutional and civic history of the City of London. Its deeper symbolism is often linked to the long tradition of liberty and civic self-governance associated with Magna Carta, whose Article 13 affirmed the ancient liberties and customs of the City of London, a connection the City of London Corporation itself continues to recognise through its historic 1297 exemplar of the Charter.

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