Following Prince Andrew’s recent decision to relinquish his final remaining royal honours due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein, attention has turned to what this means for Sarah Ferguson’s official standing within the royal family.

Sarah Ferguson’s Royal Title Through Marriage and Divorce

When Sarah married Prince Andrew in 1986, she received the title Duchess of York, as Andrew was the monarch’s second son. Though the couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, Sarah retained the courtesy title “Sarah, Duchess of York,” a traditional designation for a divorced royal.

Despite their separation, Sarah and Andrew continued living together at Royal Lodge in Windsor, co-parenting their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and maintaining a close relationship.

The Epstein Scandal and Prince Andrew’s Fall From Public Life

Over recent years, Prince Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has drawn intense scrutiny. In a BBC Newsnight interview, he said he first met Epstein in 1999 and saw him “probably no more than once or twice a year.” Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attended royal events, including a 2000 celebration for senior members of the royal family.

After Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sexual abuse, Andrew was photographed with him in 2010 in New York. In 2019, Epstein was arrested again on charges of sex trafficking. Around this time, Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was a minor, allegations he has firmly denied.

Following Epstein’s death, Andrew released a statement saying he was “appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes,” insisting he never witnessed any inappropriate behavior. During the Newsnight interview, he claimed he had “no recollection” of meeting Giuffre and stated he was at Pizza Express with his daughter on the date in question.