Ex-Prince Andrew Was Once "Considering Abdication"

Prince Andrew wearing a black coat and looking anxious

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor expressed his frustration about being kept out of the royal limelight in a series of emails that were released as part of the Epstein files over the weekend. The Daily Mail shared details of the message, which a friend of Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 after a photo of Andrew and the late sex offender walking in Central Park was published.

The female friend wrote: "'A' is sad and frustrated. Considering abdication but he's like a zoo animal, no way now for him to thrive." The message continued by alleging that Queen Elizabeth told her favorite son to seek employment. "Queen said np royal list (sic), get a job," the email read.

The woman also wrote about taking her laundry to Royal Lodge, adding, "I hope that wasn't rude. A said yes, but S wasn't amused. I needed yoga clothes."

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor standing next to Queen Elizabeth, wearing a scarf tied around her head — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is pictured with Queen Elizabeth in 2017.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor standing along a wall at St George's Chapel — Andrew is pictured at St George's Chapel on Easter morning 2024.

Speaking of Andrew and Sarah, Epstein replied and told the friend, "Careful - there is a Daily Mail rat, close to him, not her. He is unaware."

The former Duke of York moved out of his longtime Windsor home, Royal Lodge, on February 2, as confirmed by multiple outlets. He's now staying at Wood Farm, the Sandringham retreat Prince Philip stayed in during his final years, until renovations are completed on his new home, Marsh Farm.

In other messages released last week, Ferguson wrote to Epstein and compared herself to Tudor wives who were beheaded for their mistakes.

Per the media outlet, she wrote to the convicted sex offender: "Just as I always said, no woman has ever left the Royal Family with her head, and the [sic] cannot behead me, therefore they will discredit me. Totally to obliteration. I have no words."

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.