EXCLUSIVE: Prince William 'Massively Overstepping the Mark' by 'Slapping Ultimatum on Queen Camilla' Ahead of Taking the Throne
Prince William and Queen Camilla are not believed to be on the same page.
Feb. 21 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Prince William is being accused of "massively overstepping the mark" after allegedly issuing a firm directive to Queen Camilla over her continued warmth toward Sarah Ferguson – with insiders telling RadarOnline.com the future king is drawing uncompromising lines as he prepares to take the throne.
William, 43, who lives in Windsor with his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, and their three children, is said to be determined to future-proof the monarchy against any lingering association with scandal.
Prince William has reportedly issued a directive to Queen Camilla to distance herself from Sarah Ferguson.
At the center of tensions is Ferguson, 66, the former Duchess of York and ex-wife of ex-Prince Andrew Windsor, 65, both of whom have been under renewed scrutiny over their links to Jeffrey Epstein after the massive dump of U.S. Justice Department files on the pedophile was released earlier this month.
Andrew has already been stripped of royal duties and military titles by King Charles, 77, and is relocating to Marsh Farm in Norfolk.
Ferguson, meanwhile, is understood to be considering a return to Windsor to be closer to her daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35.
An insider close to the family said Ferguson's position has become increasingly precarious.
"Sarah's position has always been that the moment she grasped the true nature of Epstein's conduct, she cut ties without hesitation and removed herself entirely from his orbit," the source said.
"She insists that any connection predated the broader public understanding of who he really was and what he had done. From her perspective, she was operating in ignorance, not complicity."
"However," the source continued, "the re-emergence of her emails to Epstein has dramatically shifted how that explanation is being received. What might once have been viewed as poor judgment is now being examined under a much harsher light. The context has changed, and so has the tolerance for ambiguity."
'There Is a Very Real Nervousness Behind Palace Walls'
The King reportedly supports investigations into claims that Andrew Windsor shared confidential trade information while serving as envoy.
According to the insider, perception is now the dominant issue.
"In today's climate, optics carry enormous weight. Even if she maintains she did not know of wrongdoing, the association alone is enough to raise eyebrows," the source explained. "There is very little patience for technical defenses or distinctions about timing. The mood, both publicly and within royal circles, is unforgiving. Nuance tends to get lost when reputational risk is involved, and that's exactly the environment she's facing now."
Within palace circles, sources said William's patience has worn thin with Ferguson.
"There is a very real nervousness behind palace walls about the potential damage this could inflict on the monarchy's standing," one aide claimed. "People aren't just worried about headlines for a few days – they're worried about long-term erosion of trust."
The lingering shadow of Windsor's past controversies, now compounded by Ferguson's name resurfacing in connection with this Epstein scandal, is viewed internally as deeply corrosive.
"Taken together, it creates a narrative that is difficult to contain and even harder to defend. In political and public terms, some see them as radioactive," the insider noted.
Prince William Pushes for Clear Separation
The future king is said to be intent on shielding the monarchy from any ties to the Epstein scandal.
From William's standpoint, the calculation is brutally simple. He believes that proximity equals risk.
"In his mind, the only responsible strategy is total separation from Fergie and Andy – no ambiguity, no half measures. He sees drawing a hard line as the safest way to insulate the institution from further reputational harm," the source claimed.
However, friction has reportedly emerged over Camilla, 78, who has spoken warmly of Ferguson in the past.
In 2024, Ferguson said: "Queen Camilla was close friends with Mum, which is why we're so close now."
That sentiment, according to insiders, has not sat easily with William.
One source said, "William has been unequivocal about wanting absolute alignment within the family on this. There is no room, in his mind, for mixed signals or private loyalties playing out in public. He expects everyone to be on the same page."
William's position is that personal affection or long-standing friendships cannot be allowed to override what he sees as the bigger picture.
"He believes the monarchy is in a delicate phase and that its long-term stability has to come before individual sentiment. From where he stands, even the appearance of warmth or continued closeness sends the wrong message," the insider noted.
"He worries it blurs the narrative that the institution has drawn a firm boundary and moved forward. To him, clarity is protection – and anything that muddies that clarity is a risk he's not willing to take."
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Leaked emails showed Ferguson describing the convicted pedophile as a 'legend' and the 'brother she always wished for.'
Another insider went further, suggesting William's stance has unsettled some senior figures.
"There is talk in certain circles that he may be stepping outside the boundaries of his current role and overstepping the mark when it comes to basically slapping Camilla with an ultimatum to stay away from Fergie," a source said.
"After all, Charles is still on the throne, and constitutionally the authority rests with him. Some feel it is not William's place to be dictating terms so forcefully."
By drawing hard lines about who should or should not be welcomed into the royal fold, William risks giving the impression that he is already exercising the powers of a reigning monarch.
"There's an unease about the optics of that," the insider noted. "While many understand his desire to protect the institution's future, others question whether issuing what sound like ultimatums crosses into overreach. It creates the perception that the crown is effectively his already, even though, formally, it is not."
Emails from Ferguson contained in the latest Epstein Files show her describing the abuser as like a "brother" and included a line asking him to marry her.
Ferguson has denied any knowledge of wrongdoing and is said to feel unfairly grouped with Andrew. William's defenders argue he is focused solely on safeguarding the monarchy.
One supporter said, "Over the past few years, his stance has become noticeably more uncompromising over Andrew and Sarah. Where there might once have been room for flexibility or quiet diplomacy, there is now a far more rigid mindset.
"He tends to view reputational threats in very stark, almost binary terms. In his thinking, you either take decisive action to shield the institution completely, or you allow small concessions and gray areas to chip away at its credibility over time. There isn't much middle ground in the way he assesses risk."
