Fergie and Andrew’s farewell party: Couple were set to throw a last Christmas bash at Royal Lodge for friends – so who was in their inner circle before their disgrace?
In the wake of the scandal that has engulfed the hosts over the past 12 months, it’s hard to imagine anyone would happily accept an invitation to the Royal Lodge Christmas party.
But Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson are reportedly planning to have ‘all kinds of fun’ this festive season as they enjoy their last Christmas at the mansion before they are royally kicked out.
Just last year, Fergie was linked to the likes of pop star Ellie Goulding and Made in Chelsea’s Mark Francis Vandelli, and once counted leading stars such as Kate Moss and Sir Elton John as part of her entourage.
Meanwhile, her ex-husband was recently removed from all royal life and was still holding the title of Prince Andrew just six weeks ago.
But as the couple continues to suffer the fallout from their relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, it’s hard to imagine which image-conscious celebrities would touch their celebrations with a 10-foot barge pole.
Despite their fall from grace, royal biographer Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York, thinks Andrew and Fergie will continue to take advantage of their last December at the Royal Lodge by throwing one last party.
Mr Lownie said last week that the guest list would be full of “friends who go way back and stick with them”.
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘There will be some sort of party for the last of his remaining friends over Christmas. ‘I’m not sure if they’re labeling it as a ‘farewell’ party but it looks like one last hooray.’
As Andrew and Fergie struggle to hold on to friends who will stand by them, the Mail looks at who was in the pair’s inner circle before they fell into disgrace.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Ascot Racecourse on 21 June 2019
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor cycling in the rain at Windsor Park earlier this week
Lady Victoria Hervey
Andrew’s long-time friend and ex-girlfriend, Lady Victoria Hervey, has proven to be one of his biggest public supporters over the years.
Lady Victoria has routinely supported her former friend Andrew as he continues to face intense public scrutiny over his friendship with pedophile Epstein.
Hervey has occasionally sparked backlash for attacking the credibility of Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein sex trafficking victim who sued Andrew for sexual assault in 2021. Andrew has denied all allegations against him.
Lady Victoria, who was born aristocrat as the daughter of Victor Hervey, the 6th Marquess of Bristol, said she had a brief relationship with Andrew following his divorce from Fergie in 1996.
In April, Lady Victoria reposted a photo of Ms. Giuffre with heart monitor electrodes on her chest that she had posted on Instagram while the victim was in her hospital bed.
Hervey wrote ‘Karma’ on the photo and added the sarcastic lyrics of ‘Final Countdown’ to her post.
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Should celebrities and their friends distance themselves from disgraced royals or stand by them during their tough times?
Andrew’s long-time friend and ex-girlfriend Lady Victoria Hervey (pictured) publicly supported him
Lady Victoria said she had a brief relationship with Andrew following his divorce from Fergie in 1996.
The music was a reference to Giuffre’s claims on Instagram that she had been in a car accident and had only four days to live.
His spokesman later said the post was a mistake, but the 41-year-old remains in hospital in a ‘serious condition’ after colliding with a school bus near his home in Western Australia. Giuffre committed suicide that same month.
Charlie Butter
Charlie Butter’s relationship with Andrew dates back to their childhood days, when the couple had been friends since prep school.
Mr Butter, one of the late Queen’s godsons, was accompanying Epstein’s girlfriend and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to high society events in London.
It is unknown how close Andrew and Mr Butter have been in recent years, but it is certain that he is one of the former royal’s oldest friends.
Charlie Butter and Christina Estrada at the Chinese New Year Party. Charlie is Andrew’s friend from prep school.
Kate Moss
Fergie and Kate are believed to be They were introduced by mutual friend and supermodel Naomi Campbell and considered old friends.
They were photographed together on holiday twice; first in Venice in 2013 and again in Greece in 2016.
They are understood to be spending regular nights out in London, as Sarah left Kate’s 43rd birthday party at China Tang restaurant in Mayfair in 2017.
Kate attended the wedding of Andrew and Fergie’s daughter Princess Eugenie in 2018, telling the Mail at the time that the event was “wonderful and beautiful”.
The two have been photographed together at many charity events over the years, including a fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2012.
It remains to be seen whether Kate will be willing to continue her friendship with Fergie, given the recent events that have tarnished the former duchess.
Kate Moss and Sarah Ferguson at the Marie Curie fundraising dinner at Claridges in London in 2012
Princess Beatrice, Sarah Ferguson and Kate Moss attend the Fashion For Relief fashion show at the BFC Tent in London on September 20, 2007
Naomi Campbell
Fergie and Naomi Campbell have been close friends for nearly 20 years, and the pair even went on vacation together in Sardinia in August 2010.
Fergie supported the supermodel’s 2015 Fashion for Relief charity campaign to raise money to fight Ebola.
At the event, Sarah walked the catwalk alongside Naomi, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Pixie Lott, Alesha Dixon and Nicole Roberts.
The pair were often photographed dining out and attending parties, and Naomi developed friendships with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie through the former duchess.
Naomi attended the wedding of Fergie and Andrew’s daughter Eugenie in October 2018.
Today, while Naomi continues to model, she also focuses on mentoring young designers, working as an ambassador for various organizations, and being a mother to her two children.
Naomi Campbell and Sarah walk the runway at the Fashion For Relief charity fashion show to kick off London Fashion Week at Somerset House on February 19, 2015 in London.
Demi Moore
Demi Moore is reportedly a long-time friend of Fergie. PEOPLE magazine.
The Hollywood actor was one of the guests at Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2018.
The celebrity is said to have struck up a friendship with the bride’s mother, Sarah, after the former royal took an interest in Kabbalah, an ancient practice usually reserved for Jewish scholars, which Demi practices.
They apparently first met each other when Sharon Osbourne invited both the women and their children to watch the X Factor in 2004.
Demi reportedly attended one of Princess Beatrice’s birthday celebrations in the past.
It’s unlikely the actress was close enough to Fergie to offer to help the former royal with ‘their own arrangements’ in the wake of the Epstein scandals.
Demi Moore arrives before the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on October 12, 2018
Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding and Sarah’s friendship goes back several years; The former duchess attends the singer’s wedding to Caspar Jopling at York Minster in August 2019.
The hitmaker became good friends with Sarah after meeting her through Princess Eugenie, the former royal’s daughter who is close to Ellie.
Eugenie and Ellie were spotted at Chiltern Fire Station in London’s Marylebone district, with Sarah and Princess Beatrice sometimes joining them.
Ellie attended Eugenie’s wedding to husband Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle in October 2019.
The two share their passion for philanthropy, having attended an environmental charity gala together in Sweden in September 2024.
The duo posed for photographers on the red carpet before the Perfect World Foundation’s award ceremony.
While it remains to be seen whether friends like Ellie will still want to be involved with the former duchess, they were definitely friends at one point.
Ellie Goulding, Sarah Ferguson and Ragnhild Jacobsson at The Perfect World Foundation Awards Gala in Sweden in 2024
Shafira Huang
Shafira Huang, a Hong Kong socialite with more than 15,000 Instagram followers, posted a video from a Christmas event she attended with Fergie last year.
The dinner, apparently hosted by Patricia Mondini, the second wife of billionaire Richard Caring, was a lavish affair.
Fergie and Shafira appeared to be close friends as they posed together for an Instagram story.
