Shortly after Prince Andrew announced he would no longer use his royal titles or honors — a move framed as voluntary, but widely seen as the monarchy finally putting its foot down — Sarah Ferguson’s reaction made headlines for a different reason. She’s standing by him.
“She will always support her former husband’s decisions and do anything for the King,” a source told Hello! this week. “For her this will not make a big difference.”
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It’s a notable response, especially considering she also lost her own title — Duchess of York — as part of the fallout. Though she’s used her maiden name professionally for years, she’s held on to the courtesy title since their 1996 divorce. And in public life, she’s leaned on it. Heavily.
Still, it’s not a surprising response if you’ve been watching Fergie for the past few years. The two divorced in 1996 but never really untangled. They still live together at Royal Lodge. She’s adopted the late Queen’s corgis. She’s been gradually reintroduced into the royal family’s orbit — showing up at Christmas, Easter, even accompanying Andrew to the Duchess of Kent’s funeral back in September. Her Instagram post from Christmas back in 2023 said it plainly: “We are enjoying each other’s company and feeling grateful today.”
But the context around that loyalty has changed. Dramatically.
Prince Andrew’s decision to step back came just days before the release of Nobody’s Girl, Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, which details her allegations of abuse by the prince when she was a teenager — including one alleged encounter in which he told her she was “only a few years older” than his daughters. On top of that, a 2011 email surfaced this month, showing Andrew telling Jeffrey Epstein: “Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together.” The quote directly contradicts his claim that he cut ties with Epstein in 2010.
In his official statement, Andrew said: “I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Behind the scenes, it wasn’t just Charles nudging him out. Royal insiders say Prince William has long pushed for a harder line, reportedly telling his father: if Andrew didn’t go quietly, the royal family’s image might not recover.
And then there’s Sarah. In September, she lost seven charity patronages after a leaked 2011 email to Epstein surfaced — a message sent after she had publicly disavowed him. “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family,” she wrote at the time. Her children’s book promo was abruptly canceled. Actress Natalie Dormer, who plays her in an upcoming drama series, donated her entire paycheck and pulled out of press. It was a rare moment of true blowback — and she didn’t flinch.
That’s what makes this moment so strange. Sarah Ferguson isn’t backing away, not from Andrew, not from the royal family, not even from public view. You can call it loyalty. Or stubbornness. Or a refusal to read the room. Whatever it is, it’s clear — and increasingly hard to square with the palace’s silence.
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