Princess Beatrice once posed a heart-wrenching question at a royal event, shedding light on the impact of her parents’ split on the young royal. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson tied the knot in an extravagant ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 1986, but their relationship quickly faced challenges.
Due to Andrew’s naval career requiring him to be away at sea for extended periods, it is reported that the couple spent fewer than 40 days together in their first year of marriage. Over time, the distance began to wear on them, and by March 1992, the Duke and Duchess of York announced they were parting ways. Despite maintaining a friendly relationship, Sarah’s royal standing rapidly declined. An unflattering biography of the scandal-ridden duke by Andrew Lownie, titled The Rise and Fall of the House of York, illustrated how stark the change was during a procession at Royal Ascot, one of the most esteemed events in the royal calendar.
Just a year prior, the Duchess had the honour of sharing a carriage ride with the Queen Mother.
However, after their separation, Sarah found herself relegated to the sidelines, watching the royal procession pass by from the roadside. Standing next to her was Princess Beatrice, who was too young to comprehend why her mother was no longer part of the spectacle.
Lownie said: “Sarah’s reduced status was quickly evident. The previous Ascot, she had been riding in a carriage with the Queen Mother. Now she watched from the roadside as the Queen passed by. Beatrice cried out, ‘Can we come too?’ The Queen just carried on waving.”
The biography presents a consistently damning portrayal of Prince Andrew, with Lownie characterising him as obsessed with sex, a “useful idiot,” and a vulnerable target for Jeffrey Epstein.
Two-thirds of Britons support stripping the Duke of York of his remaining Royal titles, a fresh poll has revealed.
A YouGov survey discovered that 67% of the public would endorse removing Andrew’s Duke of York title, alongside his princely designation.
Parliamentary legislation would be necessary to stop Andrew retaining the Duke of York title, whilst his inherited right to be a prince, as a sovereign’s son, could be altered through a Letters Patent issued by the King.
The duke ceased using his style of His Royal Highness after his catastrophic Newsnight interview, though it could be eliminated completely via Letters Patent.
Andrew withdrew from public duties in 2019 amid controversy over his association with convicted billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
He subsequently paid millions to resolve a civil sexual assault claim with Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein as a minor, and whom Andrew insisted he had never encountered.