The US Department of Justice’s latest release of files connected to Jeffrey Epstein has once again put royals Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, back in the spotlight due to their associations with the vile sexual predator.
For Ferguson in particular, the database has again publicised material that seems to contradict her previous statements; while she previously claimed that she cut contact with Epstein as soon as he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl, these new files (all 3 million or so of them) appear to suggest a relationship that ran much deeper, involving not just financial advice but several outright requests for cash.
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While Ferguson has publicly admitted to accepting £15,000 ($24,000) from Epstein in 2011 to settle debts – a move she later called a “gigantic error of judgment” – recent documents suggest the total could be higher. New files appear to show an urgent 2009 request for £20,000 to cover rent, while royal biographer Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, has alleged the total support could be as much as £2 million.
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Which, to an outsider, is confusing… How does a former royal bride and the mother of two Princesses, with a 30-room mansion, end up juggling over 200 creditors and asking a convicted paedophile for financial support (including when he was in jail)?
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The reality is that Ferguson’s 1996 divorce settlement was remarkably lean compared to Princess Diana’s £17 million alleged payout. The ex-Duchess of York reportedly received a £15,000 annual stipend, alongside a one-off cash payment and a housing fund from the late Queen Elizabeth II.
To maintain a lavish lifestyle on a smaller income, Ferguson later turned to commercial deals, from Weight Watchers to children’s books, and attempted many businesses (that ultimately flopped); her wellness company, Hartmoor LLC, collapsed in 2009 with $1 million in debt, for example, and she was even sued by accountants and lawyers for unpaid bills ranging from $2,500 to $25,000.
In 2010, Ferguson suffered further reputational damage after being targeted by Mazher Mahmood, an undercover reporter for the News of the World known as the ‘Fake Sheikh’ (the same man who targeted singer Tulisa in a sting operation), who posed as a wealthy businessman and secretly filmed a meeting in which she was alleged to have offered access to then-Prince Andrew in return for payment; footage broadcast at the time appeared to show her accepting a cash sum and making remarks later widely reported in the press.
Ferguson publicly apologised, describing her actions as a serious lapse in judgement, insisting Andrew had no knowledge of the meeting, and later said she was acting out of financial desperation and distress.
She subsequently claimed she had been misled and entrapped, and years later pursued legal action against the newspaper’s publishers, arguing the duping caused significant personal and financial harm.
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Her living situation at Royal Lodge added to the confusion. While she lived there “rent-free,” the actual financial burden sat with her ex-husband, Andrew, who signed a 75-year lease requiring millions in renovations. Sarah was effectively a guest of a man whose own royal allowance has since been cut.
Now, with King Charles reportedly moving to end the era of subsidised living on the Crown’s watch, Ferguson is said to be looking to at moving in with Princess Beatrice in her Oxfordshire mansion.
A spokesperson for Ferguson has previously stated that she “does not resile” from her public condemnation of Epstein, and that many of the gushing emails found in the files (where she called him a “supreme friend” and even suggests the pair get married) were sent because Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation.
Ferguson told the press, “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children,” claiming she was “taken in” by his lies.
On 3 February 2026, her charity, Sarah’s Trust, announced it would close for the foreseeable future following these latest revelations.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK’s multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She’s grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.