Sarah Ferguson Reportedly Sent ‘Desperate’ Messages in an Effort to Restore Royal Ties
Stripped of her titles and shunned by the Firm, the former duchess appears to have made a last-ditch effort to claw her way back into royal favour.
Amid her and her husband's deepening royal exile, Sarah Ferguson has made what sources describe as a "desperate" attempt to reconnect with the monarchy — a move that has drawn both sympathy and ridicule behind palace doors.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the Virgin London Marathon as part of the Caterpillar Run Team on April 25, 2010, in England. | Source: Getty Images
Over the festive period, Sarah, 66, is said to have sent a flurry of hand-signed Christmas cards to senior and junior members of the royal family. But according to insiders, the former duchess's notes were anything but light-hearted.
Sarah Ferguson at the Easter Service at St. George's Chapel on April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England. | Source: Getty Images
Several palace sources revealed the messages carried an overly apologetic tone, with sentiments described as "embarrassingly desperate" and "more like begging letters than Christmas greetings."
One royal aide said Sarah had included "apologies in the cards, expressing regret for past events involving the House of York." The tone, the aide added, was "overly effusive and almost pleading," with Sarah repeating a particular line that struck many as "the most pathetic" — "I hope we meet again."
Sarah Ferguson during Day 4 of Royal Ascot on June 20, 2025, in England. | Source: Getty Images
Among the recipients were King Charles III and Queen Camilla, despite His Majesty being the one who had stripped both Sarah and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of their remaining royal titles in October 2025 following renewed public scrutiny of their connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Another insider revealed:
"Considering it was Charles who stripped her and Andrew of their royal titles, it just seems embarrassingly desperate and like a better letter."
The decision, which effectively severed their remaining royal privileges, also included an order to vacate Royal Lodge — the £40 million, 30-room Windsor residence they have shared for years despite their divorce.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during the King George VI racing meet at Ascot Racecourse on July 29, 2017, in England. | Source: Getty Images
A separate palace insider described the move as mortifying. "There is no way back into the royal family for Fergie, and she is disgracing herself with these cringey Christmas messages," the source said, adding that Sarah's aim seemed to be to maintain some familial link, even if unreciprocated.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Day 4 of Royal Ascot on June 21, 2019, in Ascot, England. | Source: Getty Images
In stark contrast to years past — when the former couple typically issued joint cards filled with festive cheer and family photos — Andrew reportedly sent out no cards of his own this Christmas.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at a commemoration service at Manchester Cathedral marking the 100th anniversary since the start of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 2016, in England. | Source: Getty Images
According to a senior palace source, it was Sarah who took on the burden of maintaining appearances. "There's no sign that Andrew has sent any cards to the royals himself," the aide claimed.
"It seems he has withdrawn completely from public-facing correspondence, leaving Sarah to maintain a family-friendly front," they continued. Despite their evident ostracisation, the pair remained at Royal Lodge over the holiday period.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during Day 4 of Royal Ascot in 2019. | Source: Getty Images
Their daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, however, spent Christmas at Sandringham with King Charles and the wider royal family. Royal biographer Robert Jobson suggested their decision was unlikely to have been intended as a snub, stating:
"They would say, 'I'm a royal princess. I'm in line to the throne. I have been invited to attend the King's Christmas celebrations, and you don't turn down the King's invitation.'"
Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
"It's not an invitation – it's a command, really," Robert added. Still, for Sarah and Andrew, the contrast was hard to ignore.
In what sources described as a growing state of personal and emotional instability, Andrew was said to have spent much of his time slouched in his entertainment room, bingeing on chocolate and playing military video games like "Call of Duty."
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the funeral service of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, at St. Paul's Church on June 27, 2017, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
One insider claimed he had taken to wandering the halls of Royal Lodge "muttering and ranting to himself," visibly struggling to come to terms with his fall from grace. "He's finding it hard to accept the loss of his status," the source said.
Sarah, too, has reportedly sought comfort in isolation. Sources said she had been retreating to a private bar near the estate, known to insiders as the Dog House, where she had been quietly spending time alone as the couple faced the reality of impending eviction.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson at the Easter Service at Windsor Castle on March 31, 2024, in England. | Source: Getty Images
King Charles has reportedly given the pair until early in the new year to vacate Royal Lodge, with Andrew expected to relocate to a more modest property on the Sandringham estate known as Marsh Farm. Yet, doubts remain over whether this will prove a permanent solution.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during the ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on September 14, 2022, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
"I just can't see him being on an isolated farm in Sandringham," said Robert, who noted that Andrew's discomfort with the arrangement was evident. Fellow royal biographer Andrew Lownie agreed, stating:
"He doesn't like the sound of being on the Sandringham estate. I think he wants to go somewhere where he can just get away from everything."
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor following King Charles III and Queen Camilla's coronation on May 6, 2023, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Both royal biographers suggested that the Middle East — and Bahrain in particular — could be a possible destination for Andrew. According to Robert, His Majesty recently held a meeting with the King of Bahrain, raising the possibility of a discreet relocation.
"One never knows — it could be a place where Andrew gets the recognition of being the second son of Queen Elizabeth, rather than this," he said.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at St. George's Chapel at the Easter Mattins Service on March 31, 2024, in England. | Source: Getty Images
He added that such a move wouldn't be without precedent, pointing to former Spanish monarch Juan Carlos I, who has lived in Abu Dhabi since stepping back amid financial controversy.
"Other disgraced people have gone to the Middle East," Robert noted. "Andrew did a lot of business in Bahrain, and he's still relatively young."
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel on April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England. | Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Sarah is said to be pursuing a new life apart from Andrew. While she has not publicly commented on her intentions, sources close to the former royal say she is seeking a home of her own, potentially still in Windsor, but at a distance from her ex-husband.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel on April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England. | Source: Getty Images
"She's a fighter," a source close to Sarah said, adding that the former duchess is also looking to reignite her commercial career, including her work in publishing and media.
As for their appearances together, Sarah and Andrew have remained publicly cordial despite the upheaval. Both were seen at the private christening of Princess Beatrice's daughter, Athena, at St. James's Palace on December 12, 2025.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Katharine, Duchess of Kent's Requiem Mass service at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
They kept a low profile throughout the event, arriving discreetly and leaving without attending the post-ceremony gathering in central London.
However, the push by Sarah to reconnect with the royal fold — however unsuccessful — underscores a broader truth about the couple's current status. As one palace insider put it:
"Sarah's always been warm and personable, but this feels overdone. It reflects the pressure she has been under."
Sarah Ferguson on Day 1 of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on June 30, 2025, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Whether viewed as a final plea for acceptance or a tone-deaf misstep, the campaign of Christmas cards has once again thrown Sarah and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's strained relationship with the royal family into sharp relief.
The message, some suggest, is clear — there may be no path back into the fold, no matter how many cards are sent.