On Tuesday, Princess Eugenie was seen and photographed for the first time since her father’s arrest – go here to see the photos. She was out in Notting Hill, picking up some coffee with her husband Jack Brooksbank. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but she didn’t look devastated or anything. Meanwhile, no one has seen Prince Andrew since he was released from police custody one week ago. But the past week has been huge, as it feels like a complete shift on how people think and speak about the monarchy. It’s all feeling very death-rattly. Speaking of, you know it’s bad when People Magazine is quoting royal commentators and they’re all like “wow, this could be the endgame.” Some highlights from People’s big story on Andrew and the future of the monarchy:
Andrew’s arrest in Wood Farm: “This is the place where the Queen spent her last birthday in April 2022,” Robert Jobson, author of The Windsor Legacy, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “Four years later it’s been raided by the police. It beggars belief.”
The future of the monarchy: The arrest, the first of a royal since 1649, when King Charles I was beheaded for high treason, sent shock waves through the House of Windsor and raised renewed questions about accountability and privilege. “If it comes out that people knew stuff — whether it be members of the family or police or staffers — then heads must roll,” Jobson says.
That photo of Andrew: “He looked broken. Haunted,” says Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth. “That reverence people once had for the royal family is disappearing. This is the damage Andrew has done.”
Sarah Ferguson’s disappearance: As Andrew’s arrest reverberated beyond palace walls, attention turned to those closest to him. His ex-wife, Ferguson, who had lived with him at Royal Lodge and has not been seen in public since before Christmas, traveled abroad. The former Duchess of York faces renewed scrutiny over her past dealings with Epstein and whether she may be questioned by police in Andrew’s case. Ferguson, 66, was reported to have spent time at a luxury wellness clinic in Switzerland in January and is currently believed to be abroad as she considers a return to the U.K., though her precise whereabouts remain unclear.
Andrew’s legal road: Released under investigation and without bail conditions, Andrew faces an uncertain legal road ahead. He could remain in legal limbo for weeks or even months as police examine documents — released by the U.S. Department of Justice amid heightened scrutiny of those in Epstein’s orbit — that allegedly show Andrew sharing information with Epstein obtained during his work as the U.K.’s trade envoy. Prosecutors, ultimately, will decide whether charges are brought. If he is convicted, misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The British government is also reportedly considering legislation that would remove Andrew from the line of succession, a blow to the son long viewed as Queen Elizabeth’s favorite.
King Charles’s reign is under significant strain: The timing further compounds pressure on King Charles’ reign, already strained by his cancer treatment, Kate’s cancer recovery and the ongoing rift with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. For William, preparing for his future role, the episode has reinforced long-held frustrations. The Prince of Wales, 43, is understood to support his father’s approach but believes the monarchy could have acted sooner. What comes next may determine not just Andrew’s fate, but the future of the institution. “The stain of what Andrew did is spreading across the monarchy itself and undermining it,” says royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith. “It’s unlike anything the modern monarchy has faced.”
Ah, I see where People Magazine will go in the coming weeks and months. People Mag is still loyal to Princess Diana, so they’ll have no qualms advocating for King Charles’s abdication. Or they’ll just insist that Charles is the only other one to blame for Andrew. Basically, there’s an effort afoot to keep William clean no matter what. They’re positioning William as “frustrated” that Charles didn’t do more, and William will become the savior of the monarchy. The thing is, there seems to be a somewhat equal effort to point out that William is awful, actually, and that he’ll be a terrible and lazy king. Hmm…
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- (left to right) King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Picture date: Thursday May 8, 2025. NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS,Image: 996578922, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Picture date: Thursday May 8, 2025. NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS,Image: 996583915, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales leave after attending a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.,Image: 996608021, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- King Charles III and the Prince of Wales at a reception for veterans who served in the Pacific during the Second World War, part of the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Picture date: Tuesday November 11, 2025.,Image: 1051874448, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Matthews/Avalon
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- London, UK, 19 November 2025: The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The Royal Variety Performance takes place every year, either in London or in a theatre around the United Kingdom. The Royal Variety Charity assists those who’ve worked professionally in the entertainment industry and in 2024 the Charity set up a dedicated team to assist those in entertainment who are in need of help and support because of mental health issues. The evening will be hosted by Jason Manford and will include a number of performances across theatre, comedy and music with an exclusive performance from Paddington The Musical by composer Tom Fletcher. There will also be a performance from the West End and Paris casts of Les Misérables including Michael Ball, Matt Lucas and Killian Donnelly to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary. Alongside this, there will be musical performances from Jessie J and Laufey. Their Royal Highnesses will meet a number of performers and representatives from the Royal Variety Charity.,Image: 1053406454, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jonathan Buckmaster/Avalon
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- William Prince of Wales attends a comedy workshop , run by Welsh comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean who is co-founder of a comedy school in North Wales called Gwneud, The school was created to open doors for people across the region, in order to allow them to develop their comedic talents and open up more arts opportunities for young people particularly those living in isolated rural locations and those from low-income backgrounds.,Image: 1054575815, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler/Avalon
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- London, UK, 09 December 2025: London, UK, 09 December 2025: William, Prince of Wales, Patron of Centrepoint visits the charity’s new offices in London to mark his 20th anniversary as their Patron. Centrepoint is one of His Royal Highness’s longest Patronages, having taken over from his mother Princess Diana. Accompanied by Seyi Obakin OBE, CEO Centrepoint.,Image: 1057917981, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Eddie Mulholland/Avalon
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- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest on all of todays front pages of the papers,Image: 1076662239, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Geoffrey Swaine/Avalon
William keeps saying something should have been done sooner – but what and when?
Scooter is not in charge. Sally Bedell Smith was generally a Charles person.
Sure, William’s not in charge, but he’s implying that he had a better idea, that he would have done things differently. So, how? Charles could have gotten Andrew out of Royal Lodge sooner, and he could have kept Andrew in “exile” instead of letting him join the family in public – but until this batch Epstein files came out, what else?
Royal Lodge – I think that’s it. William’s thinking is probably if Charles had kicked him out of royal lodge years ago, then William and Kate could have moved in there instead of Forest Lodge. I think that’s pretty much what this is all about from William’s perspective.
Not even getting into the church photo op – but lets not forget that William could save a seat for Andrew on the plane to Balmoral when the queen was dying, but not his brother.
They could have at least publicly voiced their opinion that Andrew face his accuser(s), clear his name by not paying Virginia Guiffre 12mil and talk to the FBI. IF they thought he was innocent that’s what they could have done. Speaking of proving innocence, what about NPR’s latest revelation regarding the missing Epstein files related to Trump and a 13 year old girl? Why isn’t that being investigated? Trump only has immunity related to his acts in office. But I digress.
Pegs balding head must be one that”rolls” for sure!! You can’t try to tell me he knew nothing. He is as complicit as Chuckles or QEII or any of the other royals because they knew what he was doing and they knew it for a long time!!
That picture of Andrew is doing more damage to the Windsors than the actual arrest 🤣🤣🤣
It truly is.. and it is everywhere.
Technically parliament has not removed the duke title either? So if they’re going to remove him from the LOS why not just formally take the peerage as well?
I’m not sure that People mag is still loyal to Diana but I think they’re very much pro-William and Kate.
If they give Sally Bedell Smith as a source then they are not pro Diana.
How soon should the monarchy have acted? Thirty years ago? The family knew. Didn’t Epstein visit Balmoral? Yes he did! And there are pics!
Abolish the monarchy. They’re worthless.
LMAO! That photo choice is once again exquisite. 🤌
Once you start talking about removing people from the line of succession, it’s really opening a can of worms for the royal family. It suggests the system is merit based rather than just when / to whom you are born. And if you decide it’s merit based after all, let’s put all of them to the test. Get some real due diligence done and air all their dirty laundry, which the loyal press have been sitting on for years. There’d be virtually no one left!
‘Heads must roll for anyone who knew about Prince Andrew’- this should include journalists, royal rota and others who all their time bullying and harassing H/M to cover up what they knew about Andrew’s actions.
All that bullying and harassment has come back to bite them in the ass. H&M are far, far away from the Andrew mess in every way.
Jobbo knew so is his head going to roll too?
William was not in power but managed to squeeze out his brother/rival against the wishes of the Queen. Seems if he wanted to he could have done the same with PedoPrince once Granny died and he became POW.
Scooter threw no tantrums when he walked with Andrew, along with Keen and the children on a Church walk. Only Harry and Meghan inspire the tantrums.
Good point
Everyone is complicit. Releasing the Epstein files will not result in nearly enough consequences in the end-it is the perfect opportunity to abolish the monarchy, but handing over Andrew will allow C3 and his heir to continue their grift on impoverished people through an unfair tax burden.
Isn’t the famous saying, “deputy heads will roll!” So Andrew’s staff get the blame for not stopping or dobbing him in!! People like Amanda Thirsk who was Andrew’s staffer for 16 years until 2019 should absolutely be held accountable and investigated. However I feel uneasy about blaming security guards or housekeepers. It was made clear to them that they’d lose their jobs if they spoke up about what they saw — and that immoral and illegal behavior wasn’t going to be investigated or punished in any case. That was the entire culture, the RF are above the law and just help themselves to what or who they want. Until King said maybe he’d help if the police got his number Andrew Lownie was stating RPOs were being reminded of their NDAs!?