King Charles 'Was Sad' to Learn Sarah Ferguson Won't Attend the Royal Christmas Walk Amid Prince Andrew's Spy Scandal
Sarah Ferguson will skip the royal family's gathering at Sandringham due to her loyalty to Prince Andrew.
King Charles is blue that Sarah Ferguson will skip the royal family's Christmas celebration amid Prince Andrew's Chinese spy scandal.
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew still live together at the Royal Lodge despite their 1996 divorce.
"This will be a blow for Fergie," royal correspondent Jennie Bond told an outlet. "She was so effusive last Christmas and was clearly delighted to be included in the family festivities after so many years in exile."
“But her loyalty has always been to Andrew and she will stick by his side… wherever they spend the day," she added.
Sarah Ferguson often defends Prince Andrew publicly despite his scandals.
Last Christmas, Andrew and Ferguson spent the holidays with the royal family despite the Duke of York's public scandals.
"I think the King has a soft spot for Fergie, especially after their shared cancer experience," the commentator shared, referring to Fergusion being diagnosed with b----- cancer and melanoma within the same year. “She always brings a spot of fun to proceedings."
“So he will probably be a little sad that she will now stay away from Sandringham, to stand shoulder to shoulder with her ex," Bond added.
OK! previously reported Ferguson influenced Andrew's decision to pull out of the event after it was revealed he hired an undercover agent. Even though the duo's divorce was finalized in 1996, the Yorks still live together at the Royal Lodge.
"Despite [the Duchess'] missteps in the past, she does know how things will play out socially. She would tell him it’s best to stay away. And Beatrice would have backed her up in that," royal expert Ingrid Seward told an outlet, referring to the exes' eldest daughter.
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew's divorce was finalized in 1996.
Andrew worked with alleged spy Yang Tengbo as a "business adviser" and allegedly gave him access to information about the royal family.
Andrew's decision is "apparently serious breach of national security."
Tengbo called the allegations against him "entirely untrue," and revealed he wanted his legal team to publicize his name due to the "speculation and misreporting."
"I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded," he said in a statement.
Andrew first stepped back from royal life when it was revealed he had ties to Jeffrey Epstein, but his most recent blunder ruined any chance of the duke making a royal return.
"I think at that point, he really probably did have no choice. He just decided that it would be best to stay away, but it's become quite unpleasant," biographer Hugo Vickers told GB News.
"He isn't going to return to public life," Vickers shared. "I don't really see what else he can do, unless he decides to go and live abroad somewhere."
King Charles' Christmas celebration will be his first since being diagnosed with cancer.
Although Andrew is still Charles' relative, the king must prioritize The Crown instead of his relationship with his younger sibling.
“The palace has behaved the best it possibly can with a difficult relation," an insider explained. "Every sanction that can be imposed has been, but you can’t divorce or sack your brother from being your brother. There will always be a bond of blood, and all families often have difficult relatives to deal with. Of course, it is understood that it looks bad for the entire family, but that is because of one individual."
Bond spoke to OK! U.K.