Life inside the royal bubble isn’t always as glamorous as it seems.
That reality hit Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor hard after a photo surfaced showing him strolling in New York’s Central Park with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to newly revealed emails, the then-duke was so distressed he reportedly considered stepping down from royal duties.
One friend of Epstein’s, who had access to the Duke and Sarah Ferguson, described Andrew as feeling “like a zoo animal” — trapped under the public eye and unable to move freely.
Adding to the pressure, the Queen herself is said to have told Andrew bluntly to “get a job,” highlighting her frustration over the scandal.
A Friend’s Email Gives Insight Into Royal Frustrations
The friend, who visited the Duke and Sarah Ferguson (often referred to as “S”), shared these details with Epstein in May 2011, shortly after the photo became public.
In her email, she wrote:
“A is sad and frustrated. Considering abdication but he’s like a zoo animal, no way now for him to thrive.
Queen said np royal list, get a job.”
She also mentioned visiting the Yorks’ home to drop off her laundry — including yoga clothes — joking about potential rudeness.
Epstein responded with a warning about a “Daily Mail rat” who could be reporting on Andrew, suspected to be a young valet concerned that the Duke was abusing his privilege.
These candid emails are part of a massive trove of documents — over three million pages — released by the US Department of Justice as part of the “Epstein Files,” following a long legal battle.
Sarah Ferguson Expressed Her Own Royal Struggles
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York at the time, also used email to vent her frustrations.
In a July 2010 message to Epstein, she wrote:
“No woman has ever left the Royal Family with her head — and they cannot behead me, therefore they will discredit me.”
This came after a scandal in which Ferguson was caught trying to sell access to Andrew for £500,000.
She admitted to taking money from Epstein to cover personal debts and maintained regular correspondence with him, even reportedly making pleas like “marry me.”
The Royal Family Responds to the Epstein Fallout
Amid the mounting furore, Prince Edward became the first royal to publicly address Andrew’s role, emphasizing the importance of remembering the victims.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, he stated:
“I think it’s all really important always to remember the victims and who are the victims in all of this.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla also voiced support for Epstein’s victims last October, stressing that their sympathies remain firmly with those affected by abuse.
However, Andrew has yet to publicly express sympathy for the victims, and reports suggest he resisted signing statements even offering broad support.
Congressional Testimony and Questions of Conscience
The ongoing release of Epstein’s documents has been a sensitive topic for the royal family.
Recent coverage indicates that the question of whether Andrew will provide testimony to the US Congress now rests on his personal conscience.
As the inquiry continues, royal sources suggest this decision is entirely up to him.
