Fergie's Twitter Handle Twist Amid Andrew's Royal Exit

Sarah Ferguson has remained silent regarding her former spouse, Prince Andrew, relinquishing his royal status due to persistent questions about his enduring association with the deceased convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — however, she has implemented a discreet alteration in the wake of these events.

Observant royal enthusiasts swiftly observed that Ferguson, aged 66, updated her X (formerly Twitter) username from @SarahTheDutchess to @sarahMFergie15. Ferguson formerly employed the designation Duchess of York, owing to her previous marriage to the embattled member of the royal family.

Ferguson and Andrew, aged 65, exchanged vows in July 1986 and had two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, prior to their separation in May 1996. The ex-spouses have maintained a close bond in the decades following their divorce, frequently being seen together at various public functions.

Andrew declared on Friday, October 17, his intention to relinquish his royal designation as his history with Epstein persists in generating news. The erstwhile Duke of York is reportedly being scrutinized for purportedly instructing his personal security detail to find details concerning his deceased accuser, Virginia Giuffre, ahead of her April 2025 passing. Giuffre, who took her own life at 41, has had a memoir, Nobody’s Girl, published posthumously, further exacerbating Andrew’s public relations challenges.

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“Following conversations with The King, and my direct and extended family, we have determined that the ongoing allegations concerning me divert attention from the duties of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Andrew communicated in an official statement. “I have chosen, as has always been my principle, to prioritize my obligations to my family and nation. I affirm my choice from five years ago to withdraw from public engagements.”

Andrew first withdrew from his official responsibilities in 2019 after Giuffre leveled accusations of sexual assault against the former duke in 2001, at which time she was a minor. Andrew consistently maintains his denial of the allegations brought forth.

“With His Majesty’s concurrence, we believe I must now proceed to an additional measure,” his declaration on Friday proceeded. “Consequently, I will cease to employ my title or the distinctions bestowed upon me. As I have stated before, I emphatically refute the allegations directed at me.”

Giuffre ultimately initiated a lawsuit against Andrew for sexual abuse in 2021. They reached an out-of-court settlement the subsequent year for an unspecified sum. Giuffre’s publication debuted on Tuesday, October 21, chronicling the purported sexual assault she endured from Andrew and Epstein.

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Giuffre asserted in the memoir that she was compelled to engage in sexual acts with Andrew on three distinct instances when she was 17 and 18 years of age. The initial incident occurred in London, where the image of Giuffre and Andrew was captured by Epstein.

“My mother would never have forgiven me had I encountered someone as renowned as Prince Andrew and not posed for a photograph. I hurried to retrieve a Kodak FunSaver from my chambers, then came back and gave it to Epstein,” she alleged in the book. “I recall the prince encircling my waist with his arm as Maxwell smirked next to me. Epstein took the picture.”

During one of their meetings, Giuffre alleged that she participated in a purported “orgy” involving Epstein and Andrew.

“The other young women all seemed to be below 18 years old and did not truly converse in English,” she asserted. “Epstein found humor in their inability to effectively communicate, remarking that they were the most compliant girls to associate with.”