Prince Andrew has decided to call off a grand birthday celebration planned for his former spouse, Sarah Ferguson, amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein.
Sarah Ferguson, who maintains a close relationship with Prince Andrew, was scheduled to mark her 66th birthday with an extravagant party at their Windsor estate last Wednesday. However, Prince Andrew opted to cancel the event amid discussions about relinquishing his royal titles, including the Duke of York.
The revelation follows Prince Andrew’s recent announcement that he would cease using his titles. This decision came after it was revealed that he had corresponded with the convicted billionaire pedophile Epstein, despite claiming to have severed ties with him.
According to reports, an email from 2011 discussed Virginia Giuffre, a victim who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein. Epstein was convicted of child sex offenses in 2008.
In response to the backlash, Prince Andrew defended himself, stating, “I vehemently deny the allegations made against me.”
Sarah Ferguson became embroiled in the scandal when supportive emails between her and Epstein surfaced. In one such 2011 message, Ferguson referred to Epstein as her “ultimate friend.”
This development occurred after Ferguson publicly stated that she would have no association with the sex offender. Following the emergence of the message in September, she was removed from roles within charitable organizations.
While Prince Andrew has vowed to forgo his titles, calls have emerged for him to take further steps. Renowned royal author Ingrid Seward previously expressed, “There is widespread anger. Despite no longer being a Duke, he continues to live a princely lifestyle.”
Seward added, “How can he justify residing in a 30-room mansion on the Windsor Park estate? It may be time for the monarch to intervene and urge Andrew to relocate with the funds invested in Royal Lodge to begin anew elsewhere.”
“His conduct has significantly tarnished the royal family’s reputation. Does he truly wish to be remembered as the individual responsible for the monarchy’s downfall?”
