On October 17, Prince Andrew announced that he was relinquishing his royal titles, alongside his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Now, a royal insider has suggested that Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, "will always" stand by her husband, but she's also hoping to support King Charles in the future.
Speaking to Hello!, the royal insider explained, "She will always support her former husband's decisions and do anything for The King...For her this will not make a big difference."
Prince Andrew and Ferguson finalized their divorce in 1996, but have remained extremely close ever since. In fact, Ferguson reportedly lives at Andrew's residence, Royal Lodge in Windsor. The pair have also raised two daughters together—Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.
Prince Andrew's decision to formally step down followed increased speculation regarding his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The forthcoming publication of Nobody's Girl, the memoir of the late Virginia Giuffre, only added additional pressure to the Royal Family. Giuffre famously made allegations against Epstein and Andrew before her death, per the BBC.
In his statement, Prince Andrew said on October 17, "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. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life."
The former Duke of York continued, "With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."
