Sarah Ferguson Makes Huge Social Media Change as Prince Andrew Drops Royal Title
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew were forced to relinquish their royal titles after their controversial ties to Jeffrey Epstein put the monarchy in peril yet again. On October 17, Andrew announced that he would give up his Duke of York title, along with other honors, following a private discussion with King Charles. Shortly after the bombshell announcement, Ferguson made a notable change to her social media, underscoring her fall from grace. She removed her ‘Duchess’ title from her pages, opting instead to use her maiden surname.
Royal watchers noted that she changed her X (formerly Twitter) handle from @SarahTheDuchess to @sarahMFergie15. However, her Instagram handle, @SarahFerguson15, remains the same, as it never included her royal title. While Ferguson has not directly commented on the scandal, projecting a calm front, she was reportedly fond of her Duchess of York title, using it to sell children's and romance books.
Similarly, Andrew’s title of the Duke of York was removed from the royal family’s official website following the scandal. However, some references to the Duke of York remain live within his biography, including a line that states, "The Duke of York’s active service with the Royal Navy spanned 22 years until July 2001." The site acknowledges that Andrew stepped back from royal duties and lost his military affiliations, but has not yet been updated to reflect his most recent statement.
Andrew and Ferguson were granted their prestigious titles in 1986 on their marriage by the late Queen Elizabeth. Although the couple divorced in 1996, the former Duchess was permitted to retain her title. The pair still live together at Royal Lodge and have remained on good terms. Reflecting on Ferguson’s stance on the whole scandal, a source told Page Six, "Sarah will always stand by Andrew; she will always have love for him. Sarah is relaxed…it’s always been a courtesy title." As per reports, Charles, meanwhile, has been desperately trying to evict the couple from the residence, but the former Duke and Duchess are reportedly protected by a tenancy agreement with the Crown Estate.
After Ferguson and Andrew’s leaked emails and Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir were released, doing incredible damage to their reputations, Andrew announced via a statement, "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. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me."