Revealed: How Sarah Ferguson Felt When Andrew Fell Into Epstein and Ghislaine's Clutches
Sarah Ferguson was reportedly angered by Andrew's growing absence from their children, even expressing her concerns to the Palace.
Although new Epstein file emails suggest Sarah Ferguson and Jeffrey Epstein were thick as thieves, that apparent closeness was far from the truth at first. Former investigative reporter Nigel Rosser, the first person to link Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, claims Ferguson was 'incandescent with rage' over her ex-husband's involvement with the pair. The former Duchess was reportedly angered by Mountbatten-Windsor's growing absence from their children, going as far as to express her concerns to the Palace.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rosser detailed the extraordinary steps Ferguson allegedly took in a futile attempt to pull her ex-husband away from Epstein and Maxwell's bad company. He claimed that the former Duchess met the late Queen at Sandringham, furious over Mountbatten-Windsor's growing absence from their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Over tea, they reportedly discussed his nightclub trips and yacht outings with topless women in Epstein and Maxwell's company. According to Ferguson's aides, she warned the late Queen that her ex was being 'manipulated' by Maxwell, who was initially roped in as his 'social fixer.'
Rosser said, "It was a very rare and lengthy briefing against Andrew and his new way of life and associates. It was clearly part of a strategy to embarrass Andrew into ditching Ghislaine and Epstein and coming back to Fergie's warm embrace." At the time, Ferguson and Mountbatten-Windsor had been divorced, but remained the 'bestest of friends' with unresolved feelings. Further describing the briefing, he added, "Fergie was incandescent with rage. Despite being divorced, Andrew was her man. And she was damned if she was going to let Ghislaine Maxwell start running her life."
The investigative reporter also detailed accounts of Ferguson's aides, who described the former Duchess's sketchy dynamic with Epstein and Maxwell. According to them, "Fergie was aghast at the influence Ghislaine exerted over Andrew and the changes that came over him." Meanwhile, Beatrice and Eugenie, who also met Maxwell, were "apparently confused about seeing their father in embarrassing situations in the newspapers [at the time]." They further shed light on Ferguson's thought process: "Ghislaine is manipulating him [Andrew], and he's too naive to realize it…Because I think Epstein is fantastically impressed by it all. It's all very premeditated."
In light of the new tranche of the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice, Rosser reflected on earlier warnings, saying, "Now, 25 years later, their comments seem unnaturally prescient and underscore so many of the Epstein revelations that have emerged." The newly released material highlights Ferguson's own involvement with Epstein and Maxwell later, reportedly turning to the disgraced financier for help in the face of mounting debts. While she has since expressed regret over her association with him, Mountbatten-Windsor has simply downplayed their relationship.
