By Molly Claire Goddard
12:07pm PST, Dec 24, 2025
_
After being stripped of his titles and evicted from Royal Lodge due to his friendship with
Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will also not be attending the Christmas Day festivities at Sandringham. "I think it's obvious that Andrew's relationship with the rest of the royal family is, to say the least, extremely strained," expert
Jennie Bond told
The Mirror. "You only have to look at the pictures of him trying to cozy up to
Prince William at
Katharine, Duchess of Kent's
funeral to understand just how awkward things are. William virtually blanked him. I think the rest of the royal family will be mightily relieved that he won't be there."
_
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will be absent from the holiday celebrations for a second straight year, following his exclusion in 2024 due to his alleged connection to a Chinese spy. "It is, though, the most obvious and public sign that he is ostracized and an embarrassment to the family. And that must feel pretty unpleasant. It looks set to be rather a miserable time for the disgraced Mountbatten-Windsor," Jennie Bond said.
_
While it's unclear exactly how Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will spend Christmas, he will be gearing up to leave his longtime home, where he and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have resided for years. "Royal Lodge is said to be in quite a state, and many of his possessions have already been removed. The status of his relationship with his ex-wife, Sarah, is also up for debate," Jennie Bond said. "They once seemed almost inseparable, even though they were divorced. But it looks as if the strain of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal may have caused them to rethink their future together. Christmas has a habit of heightening emotions and exacerbating family divisions. Even though it's meant to be a season of goodwill. One thing is for sure: this is the last time Andrew will spend Christmas at Royal Lodge, if that's where he chooses to stay."
_
As additional files related to Jeffrey Epstein continue to be released, further controversy could lie ahead for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. "The threat of more scandal around the corner will remain for some time – not only about Epstein, but about Andrew's financial dealings and arrangements. It is not a story that investigative journalists are ready to let rest," Jennie Bond said.
