Sarah Ferguson's 'Bonkers Plot to Make Cash' After Andrew's Arrest
Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, is reportedly hiding out in the United Kingdom and is said to be "paranoid" that her location will be discovered. However, behind the scenes, she is allegedly making bold plans for a comeback, according to recent reports.
Where Is Sarah Ferguson?
The question of Sarah Ferguson's whereabouts has been repeatedly asked following the extraordinary arrest of her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, last week. Andrew spent 11 hours in custody on Thursday after police arrested him on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has since been released but remains "under investigation." The former prince has yet to comment on the arrest, though he has vehemently denied all wrongdoing in the past.
For months, both Andrew and Sarah faced intense scrutiny over their links to Jeffrey Epstein. They took differing approaches to dealing with the furore. Prior to his exile from Royal Lodge, Andrew was frequently seen riding around the estate grounds, even waving at passersby. In contrast, Sarah went to ground. She has not been seen in public since her fleeting appearance at her granddaughter Athena's Christening at St James' Palace on 12 December.
As the mystery of her current dwellings continues, it is claimed that the former duchess is plotting her next move. Here is everything we know so far.
'Fancy Wellness Retreat' and Global Hiding
Recent reports suggest that Sarah checked into one of the world's most expensive wellness clinics after the latest tranche of Epstein files were released. It is claimed she booked a stay at the £13,000-a-day Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland, heading there after Christmas and remaining until the end of January. A Swiss source told the Daily Mail: "She always feels at home at Paracelsus, and knows she'll get love and attention there, as well as expert health treatment when she’s feeling at her most vulnerable."
This is one of a number of rumoured locations; Sarah is also said to have spent time in the French Alps before moving on to the United Arab Emirates, where her youngest daughter Eugenie was recently spotted attending an art fair as part of her job with art dealer Hauser and Wirth.
Additional reports suggested she had then travelled to Florida with her son-in-law Edoardo Mapelli-Mozzi as he attended a design conference in Palm Beach, before moving on to a French ski resort to "get her head together" with friends. Most recently, she is rumoured to have hopped over to Switzerland to join Eugenie's half-term ski holiday in Gstaad last week. Her team have yet to comment when asked about her whereabouts.
It was claimed over the weekend that she is now hiding out in the UK, thanks to the loyalty of some close friends. A source told the Mail that Sarah has since been "sofa-surfing on a global scale"—allegedly relying on her daughters to help her keep a low profile by piggy-backing on their work and social arrangements. She is said to be constantly on the move, paranoid that her location will be discovered, and is only telling pals where she has been staying once she's left the location.
'Comeback Plan' Amid Reputational Ruin
Despite her reputation being in tatters, Fergie is said to be plotting a "comeback" of sorts. It is claimed that the disgraced duchess is now brazenly scouting around for a new PR team as she plots her return—without Andrew—with the hopes of continuing to live in the Windsor area.
A source told the Daily Mail before Andrew's arrest that she told friends: "I need to get back to work. I need money." The former royal, who remained close to Andrew even after their very public divorce, reportedly also declared, "When I come back, I am going to have to put some distance between myself and Andrew."
However, it is going to be incredibly difficult for Sarah to rebuild the life she once had, according to royal correspondent Jennie Bond. "If it is true that she still thinks she can make some sort of comeback, she is more deluded than I thought possible," she told the Mirror.
"Her charities have deserted her, her publishers have pulped her latest book, and almost every day brings more revelations about her fawning and prolonged friendship with the convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein."
Ferguson has made some spectacular comebacks before, and has even managed to get herself back into the family fold for royal social gatherings, such as Christmas at Sandringham. But to think she could come back from this latest disgrace—with her emails calling Epstein a legend and a supreme friend, even perhaps jokingly asking him to marry her—suggests she is "away with the fairies."
Financial Struggles and 'No Remorse'
Much has been made of Sarah's ridiculous overspending; the Epstein files showed her begging the sex offender for money to pay off debts and maintain her lifestyle. According to royal author Andrew Lownie, she is likely now "sponging off a rich pal" as she navigates her latest crisis. He further noted that Fergie has a "habit" of fleeing the country during bumpy moments in her life.
Initially, it seemed as though Eugenie's Portugal mansion and Beatrice's cow-shed granny annexe in the Cotswolds were both on the cards for Fergie. However, these options are now said to be off the table. Lownie told the Mirror that it might be a little more complicated than it appears on the surface.
"I talked to a member of staff the other day, and Eugenie has cut loose," he said before Andrew's arrest. "The girls clearly want to keep in with the Royal Family, partly that's where their future lies, and their commercial prospects lie. Remaining princesses, being able to do business in the Middle East, and that was the deal that I think has been struck by Andrew to leave Royal Lodge."
"But that doesn't preclude them quietly, secretly showing loyalty to their parents by seeing them privately. So it's not having to make a choice, they've managed to do both. I do think Eugenie has taken it publicly, the line certainly publicly, because of her Anti-Slavery Collective charity, that she has cut loose." Beatrice, meanwhile, was spotted taking her daughter, Sienna, for a horse ride with Andrew prior to his Windsor eviction, indicating she has not taken such a firm line as her sister.
A friend of Sarah's recently spoke about her wellbeing, telling the Daily Mail: "She feels deeply depressed and that the world is out to get her. She is very, very down. Some people, including Sarah herself, are worried for her mental health. [But] what she doesn't appear to feel is remorse for what has happened. She just wants this to all go away and allow her to get on with her life. Her head is in the sand."
Homeless and Future Prospects
As it stands, Sarah is now effectively homeless following Andrew's eviction from Royal Lodge. Recent reports have suggested that she'd like to stay in Windsor long term. But with an estimated net worth of just £752,000 according to Yahoo! Finance, Sarah will struggle to afford even a terraced house in the historic town, which sell for in excess of £800,000.
Some experts believe she will likely settle abroad in an attempt to escape the public furore in her home country. According to Lownie: "In Britain, neither Sarah nor Andrew will be socially accepted again, whatever they try to do or wherever they go. But in the Middle East, no one will care about what they have got up to. There are people there—royalty, politicians and business types—whom Sarah can quite happily sponge off and who will be happy to bankroll both of them."
"These types of people in the Middle East simply couldn't care less what Sarah has done. And even if she doesn't have her title of the Duchess of York anymore, she will still be seen as royalty and treated as such—and she knows it."
