Sarah Ferguson Turned to Epstein For Advice After Her Infamous Scandal, New Emails Suggest
Sarah Ferguson has never been a stranger to controversy; in many ways, it has trailed her public life for decades. One of the most damaging episodes came in 2010, when she was caught in a sting offering access to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for money. Newly released emails now suggest that in the aftermath of that scandal, Jeffrey Epstein did more than offer sympathy—he appeared to step into the role of adviser, weighing in on how she might contain the fallout.
According to a fresh tranche of documents made public by the US Department of Justice, Epstein discussed Ferguson’s predicament with former Labour minister Peter Mandelson after the Duchess of York was caught in a 2010 “cash-for-access” sting. The episode unfolded when undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood, posing as a wealthy businessman, recorded Ferguson offering access to her then-husband, Mountbatten-Windsor, who was serving as a UK trade envoy at the time. During a meeting at a Mayfair apartment, she asked for £500,000 to be transferred to her HSBC account, telling the reporter, “That opens up everything you would ever wish for. I can open any door you want, and I will for you. Look after me, and he'll look after you … you'll get it back tenfold.”
Footage later showed her in tears as she accepted a suitcase containing about $55,000 in cash as an initial payment. In the morning, News World published that story, and Epstein emailed Mandelson at 6:30 am to ask whether he had seen it. Mandelson replied, “Have you watched the video? If Andrew was elected he would have to resign. She's so desperate I feel sorry for her. But she will not recover from this.”
Epstein, in turn, suggested that Ferguson should admit to abusing medication and enter rehab as a way of containing the damage. Mandelson responded that it was “an option,” though he noted it would be “awful for her and the girls,” referring to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who were 22 and 20 at the time. In the same exchange, Epstein mentioned that he had spoken to Mountbatten-Windsor the previous day, adding that he was “with friends of mine in a restaurant in Singapore...”
There is no evidence that Ferguson had a dependency on medication or that she entered a rehabilitation facility, per The Daily Mail. In the immediate aftermath of the sting, she issued a public apology, describing the incident as a “serious lapse in judgment” and attributing her actions to mounting debt and personal struggles, including what she described as an addiction to food.
The newly disclosed emails also shed light on the closeness of Ferguson’s relationship with Epstein during that period. Separate correspondence shows her seeking his advice and backing for various business ventures. In a 2009 email, she updated him enthusiastically about plans to launch “Sarah Ferguson” branded clothing and fragrances with Tommy Hilfiger, as well as television projects and books.
She wrote, “In just one week, after your lunch, it seems the energy has lifted. I have never been more touched by a friends [sic] kindness than your compliment to me in front of my girls. Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for.”