The revelations have already had consequences. Sarah has been removed as a patron of Julia’s House, a children’s hospice charity, which said it would be inappropriate for her to continue in the role given the correspondence with Epstein.

Reports now suggest tension between father and son over how to respond. According to sources cited by the Daily Mail, William is pushing his father to “disown” both Ferguson and Prince Andrew, pointing to the negative optics of their continued presence at royal events. Andrew, like Ferguson, maintained contact with Epstein despite claiming otherwise.

The King, however, is said to take a different approach. Sources suggest Charles does not want to sever ties with his brother or former sister-in-law, recalling the late Queen’s desire to maintain a connection with Ferguson as the mother of her granddaughters.

Still, the King may take more limited actions, such as barring Ferguson and Andrew from attending the traditional Christmas Day walk. There is also speculation he could evict them from Royal Lodge, their Windsor residence — a move William reportedly sees as the minimum necessary.

The rift highlights the ongoing challenges Charles and William face in balancing family loyalty with public scrutiny, particularly amid sensitive scandals connected to Epstein.