When the disgraced Sarah Ferguson sent out her Christmas cards last year, they didn’t just contain season’s greetings messages.
According to OK! Magazine, Fergie, 66, penned “overly effusive apologies” in the cards, addressed to members of the royal family, including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The notes “expressed regret for past events involving the House of York”.
A palace aide told the publication that it was as if Fergie – whose downfall is related to her association with late, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – was “pleading for forgiveness” and trying to “smooth over” tensions.
“Considering it was Charles who stripped her and Andrew of their royal titles, it just seems embarrassingly desperate and like a better letter,” the source added.
Sarah and Andrew were reportedly told by King Charles not to attend the royal’s Christmas celebrations after they were stripped of their royal titles.
Sarah was embroiled in fresh controversy late last year after allegedly apologising for publicly cutting ties with Jeffrey Epstein in a 2011 email.
Reports then emerged that Prince William was putting pressure on Charles, 76, to distance himself from Andrew, 65, following the string of controversies.
Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, were then allegedly told that they were not welcome at the 2025 royal Christmas celebrations.
They were reportedly told to keep a low profile in light of the controversy, which allegedly led to their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, cutting ties with their mother.
“You can’t sack someone from being your brother,” a source told The Sunday Times.
“But [in 2025], if the duke and duchess were both to be as honourable [as last year], it would be very much for the best, and the family would not be disappointed, not least to avoid the King having to make any more difficult decisions.”
For the 2024 Christmas holidays, the Duke and Duchess of York remained at their Windsor residence, the Royal Lodge.
Their eldest daughter, Beatrice, was among those who joined their other family members for the traditional festivities at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Meanwhile, Eugenie spent the holidays with her husband, Jack Brooksbank, and his family.
In 2025, Eugenie and Beatrice joined the royals for the Buckingham Palace Christmas lunch and the Christmas Day mass, but their parents were notably not at either event.
Andrew and Sarah most recently made a rare public appearance at the funeral of Prince Edward’s wife, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, in September.
Just days later, Sarah was embroiled in controversy after an email she purportedly sent to Epstein was revealed.
In 2011, she allegedly sent Epstein an email in which she called the sex offender her “supreme friend” and seemed to apologise for publicly cutting ties with him, the Mail on Sunday reported.
After the email emerged, Sarah was dropped as a patron or ambassador of seven charities.
Beatrice and Eugenie also allegedly publicly cut ties with their mother following the scandal.
“Their natural instinct is to defend their mum, but it’s unfortunately indefensible,” a York source told New Idea.
“They have their own families to think about, but this is a double betrayal for their mum to now be caught up in this Epstein mess with their dad. They both have no choice but to keep their contact to a minimum, and this has cut Sarah deeply. She’s horrified this has come out.”
Sarah’s spokesman at the time, James Henderson, spoke in her defence, claiming she only sent the email to Epstein after he threatened legal action against her during a “really menacing” phone call.
“People don’t understand how terrible Epstein was. I can remember everything about that call,” James said.
“He said he would destroy the York family … He had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. It was 14 years ago, and everyone will do what they have to do to protect their family. Her family and children will always come first for her.”
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