I once wrote a favourable story on Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and I’m feeling a tad queasy about it as a journalist.
Ironically, the story is called: The Duchess of York: ‘Don’t feel guilty for the choices you’ve made’.
I wish I could take that advice right now, because I’m not happy with the choice I made in November 2024 when I humanised her in an interview.
Sarah Ferguson and Jeffrey Epstein were close
My interview was a long time before the world learned just how close the former wife of the former Prince Andrew was with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
But now, thanks to the Epstein files – 30 million documents the US Department of Justice released on January 30, bringing down a pack of high-profile names, which includes emails reportedly showing Ferguson asking Epstein for financial assistance – there’s really no grey area nor redemption for her.
In one 2010 message, the mother-of-two asked Epstein to hire her as his “house assistant”, writing: “I am the most capable and desperately need the money. Please Jeffrey think about it.”
In another exchange, she asked whether she could borrow “$50 or 100,000 US dollars to help get through the small bills.”
To Ferguson, Epstein was the “brother I have always wished for.” She also told him, “I am at your service. Just marry me”, according to emails from “Sarah”.
I cast no judgment on the woman’s hustle. There is no shame in being a cash-strapped, outrageously privileged person.
But it’s becoming clearer that anyone closely associated with Epstein is most likely of suspect character and a holder of dubious secrets – just like Ferguson’s husband, the utterly disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whom she was still sharing a mansion with until recently.
More discrediting is that, according to the files, Ferguson appears to have taken her daughters, then aged 20 and 19, to visit Epstein in the US the week after he was released from prison in 2009 for soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
Reuters reports that several charities had already cut ties with her in September 2025, after a previous tranche of files showed she maintained her friendship with Epstein despite his conviction.
I forgave Sarah Ferguson for two major mistakes
This is why, when I think of my interview, I cringe. But this is how I came to do: Ferguson was in Australia to spruik her latest children’s book, and her PR offered me an interview.
Being a long-time follower of royal gossip (it’s a ’90s tabloid thing), I leapt at the chance. I knew exactly what my angle would be. Firstly, I needed it to be unique, as so much has been written about her. Secondly, it needed to be relatable to our audience of mostly Aussie mums, many of whom are single mums.
Being a sole parent myself, I thought I could make this extraordinarily privileged woman somehow relatable to our readers.
So, I forgave her for the 2010 scandal when she was set up by a tabloid for offering access to her ex-husband for money. She had apologised for her “serious lapse in judgement” at the time.
I even accepted her 2011 acknowledgment when she described her involvement with Epstein as a “gigantic error of judgment on my behalf”, in an interview with the London Evening Standard.
But…now we know that in private, the relationship continued, with emails showing her denying to Epstein that said “paedophilia” in the interview.
“As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P word’ about you, but understand it was reported that I did,” she wrote.
“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to my family and me.”
Fergie, you’ve ‘hellaciously’ let me down, too.
The Instagram photos I used with permission from the Duchess for my original story.
‘Was I wrong, or just doing my job?’
But back in November 204, I forged ahead with the interview, and I wrote:
“She describes herself on her Instagram as, ‘Mum, Granny, Bestselling Author, Creative Founder of Sarah’s Trust’. The Duchess is also a cancer survivor twice over. She’s a former daughter-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II – and inheritor of her beloved corgis.
“But she’s also something that’s not often directly talked about: a single mum.”
Erm, and besties with a billionaire sex offender.
Although my tone borders on flippant in this story, you should know that’s how I generally deal with trauma. Because I am indeed traumatised by what we now know about Fergusson.
For yet another example: we know she told him her daughter was on a “shagging weekend” in a nauseating email.
As more and more suspicious behaviour from high-profile names comes out, it’s difficult not to feel that I wish I’d never been part of the sordid saga, promoting anyone in even in the smallest way.
But at the time…I was ‘just doing my job’ (as too many unethical people say, right?).
I know I’m most certainly not the only journo who’s interviewed a dodgy character whom the world once thought was harmless, albeit a tad suss.
It’s made me wonder; have others who’ve perhaps interviewed the likes of Bill Cosby, Diddy, or Russell Brand, felt the same way?
Or am I over-thinking this?
Sarah Ferguson’s advice for single mums haunts me
The then-duchess told me what I thought at the time sounded like a nice, almost down-to-earth, message for mums in the trenches.
She said:
“The problem is that nobody tells you is that your dreams have to be put on the backburner, as you have now taken on a new role of 24/7 CEO of the House. So you are in charge of the household office.
“If you have a dream to write a book, or immerse yourself in handicrafts or painting, start a new career, return to your career or whatever it may be, you have the ability to pull in help, to give you the time.
“The trick is not to feel guilty for the choice you have made for yourself. They always say on the aeroplane, you must put the oxygen mask on yourself first before helping others.”
Or, just ask a criminal billionaire to cut you a cheque.