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Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, could face renewed scrutiny when she returns to the United Kingdom following the arrest of her ex-husband, formerPrince Andrew, according to royal experts.

The former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66,was arrested Feb. 19on suspicion of misconduct in public office as part of an inquiry linked to his ties with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was released after 11 hours, has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.

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Meanwhile, the 66-year-old Duchess of York has kept a low profile in recent months andher current whereabouts remainunknown. TheU.K.'s DailyMailreported that Ferguson was last seen leaving Royal Lodge, Andrew's former 30-room mansion, in September. Although they divorced in 1996, the pair continued living on the property.

According to People magazine, the duchess reportedly planned to spend a few months overseas — leading royal watchers to speculate over what could await her upon areturn to Britain.

While Ferguson has not been accused of any wrongdoing and no arrest warrant has been issued, legal and royal experts told Fox News Digital that her homecoming could still draw fresh attention to her own past ties to Epstein and raise new questions about whether authorities may seek her cooperation as a witness.

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Simarjot Singh Judge, managing partner atJudge Law,said there was little basis for assuming any immediate action by authorities if Ferguson were to return to the U.K. "If there is no arrest warrant, bail condition, or active requirement to attend an interview, the most likely 'first thing' is simply that nothing happens at the border beyond standard entry checks," he explained.

"In the U.K., an arrest generally requires reasonable suspicion of an offense and is typically carried out bypolice when necessary and proportionate," Judge continued. "If police wanted to speak to her, the usual starting point would be contact via lawyers to request a voluntary interview or statement — especially for high-profile cases."

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Judge also urged caution regarding online chatter about a possible arrest and weighed in on any potential legal hurdles that Ferguson could face.

"Treat 'arrest rumors' cautiously unless they're backed by credible reporting of a warrant, charge, or formal request," he said. "At the moment, reputable coverage is focused on the wider fallout from the Epstein-linked revelations and on Andrew's situation, not on any formal allegation against Sarah Ferguson."

"Practically, the hurdles, if any, would depend on whether authorities consider her a witness, a person of interest, or neither," Judge added. "Without a warrant or formal process, there's no automatic legal 'trap door' upon arrival."

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However, royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that it was widely believed authorities would be interested in speaking with Ferguson upon her return to the U.K. despite the lack of an arrest warrant.

"While I'm not a lawyer, mostlegal analystsbelieve upon her return to the U.K., it would be highly likely she'd be contacted and interviewed as a key relevant witness by either prosecutors or police, but currently there isn't any arrest warrant and to date she has not been referred to as a suspect," Fordwich said. "This though, as we saw with both Andrew and Mandelson, could change at any minute."

Days after Andrew's arrest, British policearrested former U.K. Ambassadorto the U.S. Peter Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to allegations he improperly shared sensitive government information with Epstein. He was later released on bail pendingfurther investigationand has not been charged.

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Judge shared his opinion on the likelihood that authorities would question Ferguson and whether her potential cooperation would be advantageous for her.

"If authorities believe she has relevant information — communications, introductions, timelines, financial context — she could be useful as a witness," he said.

"Cooperation in the U.K. commonly means: providing documents, giving a witness statement, or attending a voluntary interview through solicitors," Judge continued. "If she is genuinely not suspected of wrongdoing, cooperation can help by clarifying facts early, reducing speculation, and demonstrating transparency — without implying liability."

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Fordwich pointed out that as Ferguson does not hold any official royal role, she would not have any special legal protections.

"She is not a working royal, doesn't have HRH status or indeed any formal royal role," Fordwich said. "She doesn't have sovereign immunity or any institutional cover."

"The family has already distanced themselves from her, likewise her former friends and charities," she added. "Mere association with her currently is viewed as totally unacceptable."

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While speaking with Fox News Digital, Judge weighed in on how the royal family would handle media relations if Ferguson's return to the U.K. sparked controversy.

"Most likely strategic distance, with strict message discipline: 'This is a matter for the legal authorities' and 'no comment,'" he said. "The Palace typically avoids anything that looks like intervention in policing or courts. Where needed, they might emphasize that Sarah is a private individual and not a working royal — limiting institutional exposure."

Judge said that Ferguson would need to navigate any potential legal concerns independently.

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"Even with royal proximity, the Palace cannot and should not be seen to influence legal process," he said. "If she needs legal advice, representation, or crisis comms, that is handled privately via her own team. Recent reporting has portrayed her public position and commercial ties as being under pressure, reinforcing that separation."

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner shared his view regarding why Ferguson had chosen to stay out of the spotlight rather than address the controversy directly.

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"Why has she hidden herself away, probably for fear of being pressurized for spilling the beans, constant media and police surveillance and the fear of becoming a scapegoat," he said.

Judge shared his thoughts on whether Ferguson's choice to remain out of public view was the wisest course of action.

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"Staying out of sight is a common crisis tactic when facts are still emerging and headlines are volatile — especially when there is intense reputational heat and any comment could create new angles," he said. "Some reports suggest she has kept a low profile amid renewed scrutiny."

"Whether it's 'wise' depends on the objective: if the priority is legal prudence and reducing missteps, silence can be sensible," Judge continued. "If the priority is reputation repair, prolonged silence can allow narratives to harden — so many advisers prefer a short, carefully lawyered statement that sets boundaries (no wrongdoing alleged, willingness to assist if asked, focus on private health/family) and then goes quiet again."

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Judge also weighed on whether Ferguson's return to the U.K. might be received as a redemption arc or alternatively, if it could bring renewed attention to some of her past controversies.

"It risks reopening old chapters, especially if timed alongside ongoing news," he said.  "A 'redemption' framing generally only works when there is closure and clarity. If public interest is still active, the safer route is a low-drama approach: minimal visibility, measured statements through representatives, and avoiding any appearance of spinning."

Original article source:Sarah Ferguson could face police questioning as key witness if she returns to UK after Andrew arrest: experts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has filed a complaint to legally take ownership of a sanctioned tanker and nearly 2 million barrels of petroleum seized off the coast of Venezuela in December, another step by President Donald Trump's administration toassert power over the country's oil sectoraftercapturing leader Nicolás Maduro.

It's the first complaint filed by the U.S. to start the legal process to formally take control of one of at least 10 oil tankers intercepted by American authorities since late last year. The U.S. has accused Venezuela of using a shadow fleet of falsely flagged vessels tosmuggle illicit crude into global supply chains.

"Under President Trump's leadership, the era of secretly bankrolling regimes that pose clear threats to the United States is over," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in an emailed statement. "This Department of Justice will deploy every legal authority at our disposal to completely dismantle and permanently shutter any operation that defies our laws and fuels chaos across the globe."

The seizure of the vessel, named the Skipper, in December was the Republican administration'sfirst in a series of similar actionsand marked a dramatic escalation in Trump's campaign to pressure Maduro by cutting off access to oil revenue that has long been the lifeblood of Venezuela's economy.

Maduro, who called the tanker seizure an "act of international piracy,"was arrested in a U.S. raidlast month and was taken to New York to facedrug trafficking charges. He has pleaded not guilty, protesting his capture and declaring himself "the president of my country." Following his ouster, several vessels fled the coast of Venezuela in spite of Trump's quarantine on sanctioned oil tankers, and U.S. forces have tracked and interdicted some of themas far away as the Indian Ocean.

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The Trump administration has set out tocontrol the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela's oil and oversee where the revenue flows. The U.S. has begun lifting broad sanctions to allow foreign companies to operate in Venezuela in a bid torevitalize the ailing oil industry.

A judge in Washington's federal court must sign off on the U.S. government's bid to permanently take ownership of the Skipper and its cargo so the oil can potentially be sold.

The Justice Department alleges the tanker moved oil from Iran and Venezuela throughout the world, flying false flags to hide its illegal activities while providing revenue for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which the U.S. has deemed a foreign terrorist organization.

"Because of the coordinated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, a ghost tanker that for years secretly moved illicit oil from Iran and Venezuela around the globe has been taken off the seas," Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, who leads the Justice Department's Criminal Division, said in a statement.

"Today's actions are an important step in making America and the world safer by disrupting the flow of millions of dollars to foreign terrorist organizations," he said.

A Florida man who went missing on Valentine's Day was rescued on Thursday after being stuck to his shoulders in mud described as "quick sand" without food or water for several days.

Putnam County Sheriff's Office said Andrew Giddens, a 36-year-old from Jacksonville, was rescued from a Vulcan Materials Company site east of Melrose.

Giddens had not been seen by his family since Feb. 14 and was the subject of a missing persons report. His family and friends had raised the alarm with authorities after he became depressed following a recent relationship breakup, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office said on social media that deputies found Giddens on Thursday "covered to his shoulders in the mud and had sunk below the level of the grass surrounding the borrow pit, making him virtually camouflaged."

The Palatka Fire Department said on Facebook that Giddens "had been stuck in mud for several days without food or water, while the area faced freezing temperatures."

A video of the incident shows deputies initially struggling to pull Giddens free using ropes and then using ladders, pallets, wooden boards and other tools to dig him out.

"Additionally, due to the instability of the ground, responders had to progress slowly so they would not sink," the sheriff's office added. After more than two hours, he was finally freed at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

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The man was able to talk to rescuers, but was flown to a trauma center by air ambulance in a critical condition, the sheriff's office said.

Putnam County Fire Rescue, Palatka Fire Department, Melrose Fire Department and Clay County Fire Rescue all assisted in the rescue.

Deputies found Giddens' car abandoned on Feb. 23 and had previously found him trespassing on a different Vulcan Materials Company in 2023.

The sheriff's office said it was not considering trespassing charges against Giddens "due to his mental health."

"We hope that he is able to recover from his ordeal both physically and mentally," it said. "We also ask family members and friends to continue to check on loved ones, especially during times of high stress and anxiety."

A spokesperson for Vulcan said: "Our Vulcan team at the Grandin Sand Plant handled a trespassing situation with care and compassion, shepherding first responders to a man who was in distress. We are grateful for his safe rescue and thankful for the first responders who aided him."

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to988lifeline.orgto reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at800-273-8255or visitSpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.