Royal Family private-events debate resurfaces as poll questions Yorks' attendance

King Charles is weighing whether Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson should be barred from all Royal Family private events, a question rekindled after their appearance with senior royals at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral last week. Andrew, who stepped back from public duties in 2019 over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, has long attended private family gatherings despite his exile from official roles.

Officially, Charles has barred the king's brother from public royal duties, but Andrew has not been barred from private events by the monarchy. The conversations now intensify after reports of emails in which Ferguson expressed warm sentiments toward Epstein, raising new questions about the Yorks’ status within the royal circle.

Daily Mail readers weighed in via the site's Poll of the Day, asking whether Andrew and Fergie should be banned from all private royal events. The poll drew more than 85,000 votes, with about 90% in favor of a ban and 10% opposed.

The poll results underscore public sentiment about the Yorks’ continued presence in private family life, though there is no official policy on private events. The Duchess of Kent’s funeral, held at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, brought the issue into sharper focus as Andrew and Ferguson appeared alongside senior royals.

Any policy decision would be a matter for King Charles and the royal household to determine, balancing reputational considerations with tradition and family privacy. The issue remains a subject of public interest as new disclosures about the Yorks continue to emerge.