Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, develops a plan to rebuild her public image in the UK following revelations in the latest Jeffrey Epstein documents. These files detail her close ties to the convicted sex offender even after his prison release for child sex crimes.
The 66-year-old ex-wife of Prince Andrew seeks a fresh public relations team and new income streams after surrendering her royal title. Her efforts come amid a history of high-profile controversies.
Key Scandals in Sarah Ferguson’s Past
1. Toe-Sucking Photosho
Five months after her 1992 separation from Prince Andrew, cameras captured images of financial advisor John Bryan sucking Ferguson’s toes at her St. Tropez villa. Her young daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were present during the holiday.
The long-lens photographs ignited a media firestorm while the royal family gathered at Balmoral Castle. Bryan later described the act as part of a family game, not a sexual advance.
2. Epstein Document Revelations
Recently unsealed US Justice Department files expose multiple emails between Ferguson and Epstein after his conviction. She called him a ‘brother’ in one message and a ‘legend’ in another.
An email from Prince Andrew’s personal assistant invited Epstein to a palace event on her behalf. Additional correspondence referenced Princess Eugenie’s ‘sha**ing weekend.’
3. Cash-for-Access Controversy
In 2010, Ferguson faced backlash after undercover footage showed her accepting $40,000 (£27,600) from a reporter posing as an Indian businessman. She promised access to Prince Andrew, then a trade envoy, for a £500,000 fee.
Video captured her saying: ‘£500,000 when you can, to me, open doors. Then that is then, like, then you open up all the channels, whatever you need, whatever you want, and then that’s that, what, and then you meet Andrew and that’s fine. And that’s, that’s when you really open up whatever you want.’
4. Candid Tell-All Interviews
Ferguson alienated segments of the royal circle with outspoken media appearances, including a 1996 interview with Oprah Winfrey. She remarked: ‘You fell in love and married a man, and then you have to come to terms with the fairytale. Now, it’s not a fairytale, it’s real life in there — well, so to speak. They think it’s real life in there.’
Such disclosures strained her relationships within the monarchy.
