Former royal employee Paul Burrell has claimed that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson used to frustrate royal staff with one particularly bad habitGeorgia Burns Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer and Liam McInerney
12:05, 10 Feb 2026Updated 12:06, 10 Feb 2026
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reportedly left staff ‘fuming’ over a habit(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
A former employee of the royal family has revealed the one thing about Sarah Ferguson and her ex husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor that drove staff crazy. The 66 year-old former duchess has been embroiled in the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein saga in recent weeks, as well as the former prince – who strongly denies any wrong doing.
In a series of emails released by the Department of Justice in the United States, it was revealed that the former Duchess of York asked the convicted paedophile to “marry” her and offered to show his clients around Buckingham Palace. It also came out that Fergie has took her daughters Princess Beatrice and Eugenie to meet him.
It has not been reported that Fergie is living in exile overseas while she figures out her living arrangements in the UK, having been evicted from Royal Lodge, where she lived with Andrew since 2008, at King Charles’ request.
According to Paul Burrell, a former royal butler, issues between Fergie and royal staff had been brewing for a very long time, claiming they had started as soon as she was introduced into the Firm, the Mirror reports.
In his memoir, titled The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess, Burrell claimed Andrew was “besotted” by his then-new wife who could “do no wrong”.
Andrew and Fergie got married in 1986 and separated in 1992 before divorcing in 1996(Image: Getty Images)
Although the former butler revealed the couple caused quite a stir with staff, explaining: “But the staff were up in arms early in the marriage. From the beginning, the royal newlyweds refused to leave their martial bed.
“The maids weren’t allowed to go into the bedroom to make the bed for days. When the couple did surface, they held lavish dinner, lunch and tea parties with all their friends.”
Burrell, who worked with Princess Diana from 1987 to 1997, explained that this caused several issues for staff members who were exhausted by the parties the couple held. The staff reportedly preferred sticking to set meal times.
He continued: “The kitchen staff were run off their feet. Even the Queen didn’t entertain so extravagantly. The royal chefs were furious to be making food like it was an á la carte restaurant.
“They were used to serving food to the Queen and the Royal Family at set times. It was too much. The staff rebelled and protests were made to the Master of the Household who informed the Queen of her staff’s unhappiness.
“She had to intervene and put a stop to the lavish gluttony. After all, she despised waste, deciding in advance which food should be cooked for her each day. So why should Andrew and Fergie be different?”
Paul Burrell and Princess Diana(Image: GettyImages)
The 67-year-old former butler claimed that Andrew was “never easy” to get along with, especially for the staff members. Burrell, who is now an author, also wrote A Royal Duty, having several years of experience working from the royal family.
He first worked as a footman to Queen Elizabeth before acting as King Charles’ butler, but was most known for being a confidante to Diane.
And in another part of his new book, he revealed the hilarious two-word nickname staff used for Buckingham Palace.
Referencing a drinking culture inside the palace walls, he wrote: “It wasn’t just bed-hopping that went on in the palaces; there was a degree of inebriation which often helped people’s inhibitions.
“Forget Buckingham Palace, it was nicknamed ‘Gin Palace’ after the spirit that flowed freely through the everyday workings of the building. Gin, always, Gordon’s, was the drink of choice.”