By Katherine Tinsley
2:53pm PST, Dec 26, 2025
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Before Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his princely status, Sarah Ferguson reportedly convinced him to skip Christmas with the royal family due to his involvement with an alleged Chinese spy in 2024.
"Andrew told friends that it's his family and so he should be there. It's a family occasion, why shouldn't he go?" a source told The Sun at the time.
Ferguson is the one who reportedly convinced him to step away from both the lunch and royal celebrations. She came to the family's rescue and urged Andrew to "see sense" and withdraw from the gathering altogether.
This year, Ferguson and Andrew were not welcomed for the holiday festivities due to their ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
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Meanwhile, Sarah Ferguson, who was involved in her own scandals, was only recently included in royal gatherings again, as
King Charles III included his former sister-in-law in 2023.
"She even live-tweeted from Sandringham after lunch, overwhelmed that she was finally back in the royal fold," royal expert
Ephraim Hardcastle told
The Mirror.
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"We are enjoying each other's company and feeling grateful today. I hope everyone has a wonderful day," Sarah Ferguson told followers on X. "Happy Christmas to anyone who celebrates and season's greetings to all!"
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According to
The Mirror,
Prince Philip chose to keep Sarah Ferguson off the royal family's guest list after her infamous "toe-sucking" scandal — but King Charles III seemingly had a change of heart.
