A Return Amid Ongoing Controversy
Following intense scrutiny over her and her disgraced former husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, the former Duchess of York is now preparing for a comeback.
Sarah, 66, has reportedly been “getting her head together” in the UAE after recently holidaying with friends in the French Alps, according to the Daily Mail. During her time in the Middle East, she also visited her youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, 35, in Qatar while Eugenie attended an art fair in Doha for work.
Ferguson has faced criticism since 2011 over her association with Epstein, but fresh attention has emerged following the release of three million pages of “Epstein Files” in late January. Despite the renewed scrutiny, she is said to be searching for a new PR team ahead of a return to the UK.
Sources told the Daily Mail that Sarah has confided to friends: “I need to get back to work. I need money.”
Distancing Herself from Prince Andrew
Although Sarah once described her relationship with Andrew as “the happiest divorced couple in the world”, she is now reportedly acknowledging the need to separate herself from the embattled prince.
Andrew is currently facing police investigations over allegations that he leaked business information to Epstein while serving as the UK’s Trade Envoy. He is also confronting renewed claims that he had sex with a woman trafficked to him by Epstein.
A friend told the Daily Mail she has admitted: “When I come back, I am going to have to put some distance between myself and Andrew.”
The reports appear to quash speculation that Sarah might join Andrew in his royal exile at Sandringham. Instead, she is believed to be seeking a new home near her former Royal Lodge residence in Windsor.
Fresh Allegations and Charity Closure
The publication of the Epstein Files has brought further claims involving Ferguson. Among the allegations are that she referred to Epstein as the “brother she always wished for”, told the trafficker “marry me”, and introduced her teenage daughters to him shortly after his release from prison.
Amid the renewed controversy, her charity has announced it will close indefinitely.
Last week, a spokesperson for Sarah’s Trust said: “Our chair, Sarah Ferguson, and the board of trustees have agreed that, with regret, the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future.