PR Expert Shares Crucial Advice for Sarah Ferguson in the Wake of Epstein Files
PR specialist warns any comeback attempt now would be a 'serious misread' of the public mood.
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of child sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.
For Sarah Ferguson, the latest release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents has reopened an old chapter she has never quite escaped, and now a public relations expert says there is only one path forward if she hopes to recover any standing at all.
The former Duchess of York has once again found herself pulled into the Epstein scandal following the U.S. Department of Justice’s release of millions of additional files connected to the late convicted sex offender. While being named in the documents does not suggest any criminal wrongdoing, the emails have reignited scrutiny of Ferguson’s past friendship with Epstein, even after she publicly disowned him. The newly released material features numerous emails sent by Ferguson—often referred to as Fergie—in which she discusses her finances, her children, and her personal struggles in candid, and at times uncomfortable, terms.
Despite the renewed backlash, one PR expert believes Ferguson’s situation is not beyond repair—but only if she resists the urge to respond publicly. Renae Smith, founder of PR and branding agency The Atticism told The Express that the former duchess must adopt a strategy rooted in silence and restraint. “For Fergie, the guidance would be to separate her identity from his as much as possible, but quietly,” Smith said. “No declarations, no public statements, no attempt at explanations of her emails admiring Jeffrey, no press-led repositioning. Let time do the work. Silence is not weakness here. It is the least damaging option.”
Smith argued that Ferguson’s circumstances differ from those of her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose ties to Epstein have had far more severe consequences. “Fergie’s situation is actually more complex, but in my opinion, still very constrained,” she said. “From what’s publicly available, there is nothing I have seen that suggests direct wrongdoing on her part. Admiration or proximity to Jeffrey Epstein reflects very questionable judgment, but not equivalence. That said, of course optics matter.”
According to Smith, this makes any attempt at a comeback especially risky. “If I were advising her, I would be strongly discouraging any idea of a reinvention or comeback at this point,” she said. “This is not the moment to go large, reposition, or seek visibility. That would be a serious misread of public sentiment.” Instead, Smith said the “correct approach” would be to maintain “restraint, dignity, and distance,” stressing that reinvention “only works when the public is open to it. Right now, they are not.”
She was also straightforward. “I think it would be career suicide to try anything this year, and perhaps even next,” Smith said. “It really depends on how all of this plays out—but for now, absolutely not. No way.” The latest files have also resurfaced some of the most troubling details of Ferguson’s correspondence with Epstein.
If you are being subjected to sexual abuse, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)
If you are being subjected to child sexual abuse, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 800.422.4453
