A source close to Sarah Ferguson has revealed her true feelings after she was stripped of her royal title. Ferguson, who was previously known as the Duchess of York, will no longer be able to use the title after her former husband, Prince Andrew, relinquished his title and honours.
The dramatic development in the long-running debacle comes after a fresh wave of controversy over the Epstein scandal, and the furore over his contact with an alleged Chinese spy. Andrew made the decision in close consultation with both the King and the Prince of Wales, with the monarch said to be “glad” at the outcome. Sarah Ferguson, who split from the duke more than 30 years ago, but remained one of his greatest supporters and still shares his Royal Lodge home.
Following the decision, Ferguson will now revert to her maiden name, losing her courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York.
Despite this, Ms Ferguson is understood to be relaxed about losing her title and believes that the decision will not make much difference to her life, according to a source who spoke to Hello! Magazine.
They said: “She will always support her former husband’s decisions and do anything for the King. For her, this will not make a big difference.”
Ferguson was dropped by numerous charities last month when it emerged that she wrote to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling him a “supreme friend”, despite publicly disowning him in the media.
Andrew’s decision to relinquish his titles is believed to be the first time a senior royal has stopped using a dukedom for more than 100 years.
The last time it happened was when Queen Victoria’s grandson, the Duke of Albany, was stripped of his title under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917 for fighting on the German side during the First World War.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew said: “In discussion with the King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”
He added, after referencing his decision to step down from public life more than five years ago: “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.”
And he insisted: “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.”
Andrew will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth, and is still eighth in line of succession, and the change will not affect his daughters, who will remain Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
