Sarah Ferguson is being forced to vacate Royal Lodge, and sources claim she is now considering potentially leaving the country following Andrew’s downfall
Sarah has reportedly been ostricised due to her ex-husband’s Epstein associations(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Sarah Ferguson’s friends don’t want anything to do with the former Duchess in the wake of fallout surrounding her ex-husband’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, it has been claimed.
Ms Ferguson, who was married to the former-Prince between 1986 and 1996, had, despite not regularly using the title, officially been the Duchess of York until Andrew Mountbatten-Windor lost his titles and official stylings this week. King Charles III revoked the honours bestowed onto his younger brother due to the continued public fallout over his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
That fallout has impacted his former wife, insiders have said. After being booted from Royal Lodge with her ex-husband, she said to be considering leaving the country because people “don’t want to have anything to do with her now”.
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Prince Andrew had his titles stripped away(Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Speaking to the Daily Mail, one source said Sarah has always “lived on the hoof”, with “not a lot” to keep her in the UK after invitations “dried up overnight”. Another added that, while “many” people had admired her dedication to her former husband and family, she is now struggling to find a way to bounce back from Andrew’s public scandal.
They said: “She has always found a way to bounce back from the many public scandals she has faced over the years, normally with a well-paid public mea culpa and a promise to change her ways.
“The phone has stopped ringing overnight. Even those who were willing to defend her less than a month ago don’t want to have anything to do with her now.
“It’s a disaster. Professionally and personally. Even she can’t see a way of bouncing back.” Sarah has also been dogged by her own links to Epstein, who was convicted for sex trafficking children in 2019.
Andrew and Sarah must also vacate Royal Lodge in Windsor(Image: Getty Images)
In 2011, she said her involvement with Epstein was a “gigantic error of judgement”, and vowed never to have anything to do with him again. She added: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children.” And she said: “I cannot state more strongly that I know a terrible, terrible error of judgement was made, my having anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein.
“What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.” But in an email sent after she and Andrew insisted they had cut contact with Epstein – who was also convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution – she reportedly called him a “supreme friend”.
In the correspondance reported by The Sun and Mail on Sunday, she said she had not used the word “paedophilia” to reference Epstein, telling him: “As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P word’ about you but understand it was reported that I did.” She added: “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me.”
“You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.” Sarah’s representatives have said the email was sent to mitigate the threat of a potential defamation suit from the disgraced financier.
They said: “The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims. Like many people, she was taken in by his lies. As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.”
She stands by her condemnation of Epstein, the spokesperson added, continuing: “She does not resile from anything she said then. This email was sent in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”