Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have reportedly made the decision to never set foot in the United States again, a royal biographer has claimed. This dramatic move is a direct consequence of the ongoing fallout from their association with the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
A Friendship That Tarnished Reputations
The former Duke and Duchess of York saw their public standing severely damaged after revelations emerged about their continued contact with Epstein. This contact occurred even after they had publicly claimed to have cut ties with him following his convictions for child sex offences.
In a particularly damaging disclosure, Sarah Ferguson described Epstein as a "supreme friend" in a private message, despite her later public expressions of regret for the association. Furthermore, emails showed that Prince Andrew was in communication with Epstein in the months following his disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, during which he had asserted that all contact had ceased.
Prince Andrew has consistently and strongly denied any allegations of wrongdoing related to Epstein. However, these revelations have led to mounting pressure from across the Atlantic for him to cooperate with investigations into Epstein's extensive sex trafficking operation.
Fear of Arrest and Congressional Testimony
According to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, the primary reason for this self-imposed exile is a fear of legal repercussions in the US. Lownie stated to NewsNation that Andrew will not respond to or testify before Congress.
"He, or his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, will never travel to the United States again," Lownie claimed. "Neither want to be arrested or forced to testify in front of Congress about their friendship with Jeffrey Epstein."
Lownie added that the pair were "much friendlier with Epstein than people imagine" and warned that more leaks are expected. These new documents are alleged to show that their friendship with the disgraced financier began earlier and lasted longer than has been publicly acknowledged.
Consequences at Home in the UK
While the US poses a significant threat, Prince Andrew's troubles are equally pressing at home. In the days leading up to the latest release of Epstein documents, his brother, King Charles III, stripped him of his royal titles in a humiliating blow.
The fresh details emerging from a trunk of released Epstein emails led to Andrew losing nearly all of his titles and military honours in a dramatic fashion. He has managed to hold on to just one remaining honour: the Freedom of the City of London. However, officials at the City of London Corporation have already scrambled to hold crisis talks, aiming to strip him of this final privilege.
The calls from Washington for his cooperation remain unanswered, and there is no indication that the former prince has any intention of testifying, leaving this transatlantic scandal far from resolved.
