Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, may face potential threats due to their associations with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to a prominent U.S. private investigator. Ed Opperman, who also hosts a widely followed American crime podcast, raised concerns about the former royals following a series of 23 deaths deemed suspicious—many officially ruled as suicides—among individuals connected to Epstein’s network.

Opperman suggested that Mountbatten-Windsor may possess damaging information on others involved, comparable to that held by Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite currently serving a 20-year federal sentence for child sex trafficking. “Given the suspicious deaths linked to Epstein, it is very possible that he is a target,” Opperman said. He pointed to Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest in February, which coincided with his 66th birthday, and subsequent questioning over alleged misconduct in public office as motives for potential silencing. Opperman added that, in his view, Mountbatten-Windsor might be inclined to cooperate with authorities to avoid prison, noting the former royal’s privileged background.

Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any involvement in wrongdoing related to Epstein. Meanwhile, Opperman also warned that Ferguson should remain cautious given her own connections. These comments came shortly after royal historian Andrew Lownie revealed that Epstein allegedly intended to have the couple killed while incarcerated. Lownie, author of the bestseller *Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York*, recounted in a U.S. podcast that Epstein had communicated with a former British SAS operative about plans to eliminate the Duke and Duchess of York. According to Lownie, information supporting this claim came from two reliable contacts—a source in Paris and a former FBI agent in Florida.

Lownie described Epstein as increasingly paranoid prior to his death in 2019, reportedly fearing retribution from the Royal Family. He suggested that, had Epstein lived, the pair might have been murdered because “they knew too much.” The historian characterized the situation as extraordinary and akin to a political thriller.

In response to ongoing safety concerns, Mountbatten-Windsor has sought to have his taxpayer-funded police protection reinstated. However, royal commentators express skepticism that the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection unit will restore round-the-clock security, citing his current status outside the ranks of senior royals. This request follows an incident last month at Mountbatten-Windsor’s Marsh Farm residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where a man wearing a balaclava scaled a perimeter gate. The individual, 39-year-old homeless man Alex Jenkinson, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of using threatening, abusive, or insulting language.

Biographer Nigel Cawthorne speculated that if Mountbatten-Windsor avoids prosecution in the United Kingdom, he may choose exile abroad, potentially living in isolation.