Why Members of the Royal Family Are Worried About Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson Amid the Former Couple’s Controversies

Other members of the royal family are reportedly "concerned about both their mental health" as the pair continue to face backlash.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York attend the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025 in London, England. Katharine, Duchess of Kent was married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. She died on September 4 at the age of 92 at Kensington Palace surrounded by her family. Having converted to Catholicism in 1994, her funeral takes place at Westminster Cathedral and is the first Catholic funeral to be held for a member of the royal family in modern British history. Her Royal Highness will be laid to rest at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
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The fallout has been immense for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson amid the scandal caused by the former couple's relationships with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In early October, both Andrew and Ferguson voluntarily relinquished their royal titles, particularly as the Duke and Duchess of York, and Andrew also gave up his military titles and honors. As the scandal continued to rage on and public backlash increased, King Charles ultimately made the decision to strip Andrew of his "prince" title, as well, and to evict both Andrew and Ferguson from Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion in Windsor they've both lived in for years, even following their divorce in 1996.

As the blowback continued, Ferguson faced setbacks in her professional and philanthropic work, as her upcoming children's book was cancelled and several charities cut ties with her.

With so much backlash hitting Andrew and Ferguson all at once, some members of the royal family are beginning to worry about the disgraced pair's wellbeing, the Mirror reports.

When asked about how the former Duke and Duchess of York were coping amid the continuing scandal, royal author Robert Jobson told The Sun that both are struggling—and so much that other members of the royal family are growing concerned.

"Not very well, I don’t think," Jobson said in response to the question (per the Mirror). "I believe even members of the Royal Family who have taken action are concerned about both their mental health."

Still, Jobson was quick to stress the importances of staying concerned about Epstein's victims, first and foremost.

"Most of all, though, you have to be concerned about the victims of the Epstein scandal, and that to me is the biggest worry," he added. "They're human beings. A lot has been taken away."

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond pointed out in a recent interview with the Mirror that Andrew likely considers himself a victim of the Epstein scandal, to some degree at least. In addition to feeling "humiliated" and "angry" as he spends his final weeks living at Royal Lodge, Andrew, who has continuously denied the accusations against him tied to his relationship with Epstein, is also probably feeling "wronged," Bond said.

"I’m sure he’s feeling humiliated and, by all accounts, angry," Bond said of the former prince's mindset in his final days at Royal Lodge. "You have to remember that he has consistently protested his innocence. Therefore, he feels wronged. But the reality is he now has just a few weeks left before he has to leave Royal Lodge, which has been his home for more than 20 years."

Although nothing could fully reverse the damage Andrew's Epstein-related scandals have done to his reputation, Bond pointed to a what she sees as a clear first step the former prince would need to take to begin to repair his reputation.

“One thing he could do to show some remorse (for, at the very least, his bad judgement in befriending Epstein) is to cooperate with the Congressional committee and tell them what he saw and what he knows," she said. "At the moment, though, that seems unlikely.”

Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.