Envisioning anyone eagerly accepting an invitation to a Christmas gathering at the Royal Lodge seems improbable, given the scandal that has enveloped its hosts throughout the past year.

Nonetheless, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, are reportedly planning a series of festive events, savoring their final Christmas at the estate before they are expected to vacate the premises.

Last year, Fergie’s guest list included celebrities like pop star Ellie Goulding and Made in Chelsea’s Mark Francis Vandelli, with past connections to A-listers such as Kate Moss and Sir Elton John.

Conversely, her ex-husband faced a recent expulsion from royal duties, maintaining his Prince Andrew title until just six weeks ago.

With their reputations tarnished by associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, it’s difficult to envision which image-conscious celebrities would be willing to join their celebrations.

Royal biographer Andrew Lownie, who penned “Entitled: The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York,” speculates that despite their diminished status, Andrew and Fergie would still seize the opportunity to host a farewell party at the Royal Lodge this December.

And the guest list would be full of ‘friends that go a long way back and have stuck with them,’ Mr Lownie said last week. 

A source told the Daily Mail: ‘There is to be some sort of party for their last remaining friends over Christmas. I’m not sure they’ve labelled it a “farewell” party, but it very much looks like a last hurrah.’

As Andrew and Fergie fight to hold onto any friends who will stand by them, the Mail takes a look at who was in the pair’s inner circle before their disgrace. 

Lady Victoria Hervey

Andrew’s longtime friend and former girlfriend Lady Victoria Hervey has proven one of his biggest public supporters over the years.

As he continues to face a torrent of public scrutiny for his friendship with paedophile Epstein, Lady Victoria has routinely championed her old friend Andrew. 

At times, Hervey sparked backlash for attacking the credibility of Epstein’s sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, who sued Andrew for sexual assault in 2021. Andrew denied all allegations against him. 

Lady Victoria, who was born into aristocracy as the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol – Victor Hervey – said she had a brief relationship with Andrew following his 1996 divorce from Fergie. 

In April, Lady Victoria reposted a photograph of Ms Giuffre, which the victim had put on Instagram from her hospital bed, with heart monitor electrodes on her chest.

‘Karma’, wrote Hervey, over the picture, adding the mocking strains of ‘The Final Countdown’ to her post.

The music was a nod to Giuffre’s Instagram claims that she had been in a car accident and had only four days to live.

Her spokesperson later said the post was a mistake, but the 41-year-old remained in hospital in a ‘serious condition’ following a collision with a school bus near her home in Western Australia. Giuffre took her own life the same month. 

Charlie Butter 

Charlie Butter’s relationship with Andrew dates back to their childhood days, with the pair friends since prep school. 

Mr Butter, one of the late Queen’s godsons, used to accompany Epstein’s girlfriend and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to society events in London.

It is not known how close Andrew and Mr Butter have been in recent years, but he is certainly one of the former royal’s oldest friends.  

Kate Moss 

Fergie and Kate are believed to have been introduced by mutual friend and supermodel Naomi Campbell, and have been considered old pals. 

They were pictured on holiday together twice; the first time in Venice 2013, and again in Greece in 2016. 

It is understood they have had regular nights out in London, with Sarah snapped leaving Kate’s 43rd birthday party at the China Tang restaurant in Mayfair in 2017.

Kate attended Andrew and Fergie’s daughter Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018 , telling the Mail at the time that the occasion was ‘great and beautiful’.

The pair have been photographed together at multiple charity events over the years, including a Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraiser in 2012.

It is not known whether Kate would be willing to maintain her friendship with Fergie given recent events which have tainted the former duchess. 

Naomi Campbell 

Fergie and Naomi Campbell have been close friends for nearly 20 years, with the pair even holidaying together in Sardinia in August 2010.

Fergie lent her support to the supermodel’s 2015 Fashion for Relief charity campaign to raise money for the fight against Ebola.

At the event, Sarah walked the runway alongside Naomi, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Pixie Lott, Alesha Dixon and Nicole Roberts. 

The pair have often been pictured dining out and attending parties together, and through the ex-duchess, Naomi developed friendships with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Naomi attended Fergie and Andrew’s daughter Eugenie’s October 2018 nuptials.

While Naomi continues to model today, she is equally focused on mentoring young designers, working as an ambassador for various organisations and being a mother to her two children.

Demi Moore 

Demi Moore is reportedly a longtime friend of Fergie’s, according to PEOPLE magazine.

The Hollywood actress was one of the guests at Princess Eugenie’s 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The celeb is said to have formed a friendship with the bride’s mother Sarah after the former royal apparently developed an interest in Kabbalah – an ancient practice usually reserved for Jewish scholars – which Demi practises. 

They were apparently first introduced to one another when Sharon Osbourne got both women – and their children – in to watch the X Factor in 2004.

Demi has attended one of Princess Beatrice’s birthday celebrations in the past, it was reported. 

It is unlikely the actress is close enough to Fergie to offer to help the former royal with her ‘own arrangements’ in the wake of the Epstein scandals.

Ellie Goulding 

Ellie Goulding and Sarah’s friendship dates back several years, with the former duchess attending the singer’s August 2019 wedding at York Minster to Caspar Jopling.

The hitmaker became good friends with Sarah after they met through the former royal’s daughter Princess Eugenie, who is close with Ellie.

Eugenie and Ellie used to be spotted at the Chiltern Firehouse in London’s Marylebone, and Sarah and Princess Beatrice sometimes joined them. 

Ellie attended Eugenie’s wedding to husband Jack Brooksbank in October 2019 at Windsor Castle. 

The pair share passions regarding charity, having attended an environmental charity gala together in Sweden in September 2024.

The duo posed for photographers on the red carpet ahead of The Perfect World Foundation’s awards ceremony.

While it remains to be seen whether friends like Ellie will still want to be associated with the former duchess, they have certainly been friends at one point. 

Shafira Huang 

Shafira Huang, a Hong Kong high-society socialite with more than 15,000 Instagram followers, last year posted a video from a Christmas event she attended with Fergie.

Apparently hosted by Patricia Mondini, the second wife of billionaire Richard Caring, the dinner was a lavish affair.

Fergie and Shafira appeared to be close friends as they posed together for an Instagram story.