Sarah Ferguson has not been seen publicly for months, prompting speculation about her whereabouts and the possibility of an interview in which she reveals new details. Meanwhile, calls are mounting for her to testify regarding her relationship with the convicted and deceased American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. lawmakers have previously included her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in demands to explain his connections to Epstein, and now members of Congress are asking Ferguson to do the same. House Oversight Committee member Suhas Subramanyam stated he believes she has “relevant information related to the investigation” and urged her to testify under oath before the committee.
While there is no legal mechanism to force Ferguson to testify in the United States, Subramanyam told the BBC that lawmakers might be motivated to “work out terms that would suit her,” provided that the testimony is under oath. Ferguson's representatives declined to comment.
Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury reiterated the call, emphasizing the necessity for anyone with information about Epstein’s wrongdoing to cooperate to ensure justice for the survivors. Family members of one of Epstein’s prominent accusers, Virginia Giuffre, strongly believe Ferguson should travel to the U.S. to answer questions.
These demands come after new details emerged from millions of documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year, which included correspondence suggesting a closer relationship between Ferguson and Epstein than previously thought. While merely being mentioned in Epstein’s files does not necessarily imply wrongdoing, the vast amount of documents gives the impression that she may be more involved in his circle.
Correspondence shows that Ferguson described herself to Epstein as “very broken and lonely” and praised him in 2009, calling him “the brother I wished I had.” The messages also indicate that she contacted him while he was in prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor and took her two daughters to lunch with him in Miami just days after his release.
Attorney Gloria Allred, representing some of Epstein’s victims, stated that these testimonies clarify that Ferguson is “not a victim in this story” and that she cannot claim ignorance of Epstein’s crimes as some who are named in the files do. Allred has urged Ferguson to voluntarily testify before Congress and speak with police in the UK to answer their questions.
Author Andrew Lownie, who wrote a biography of the York family, described Ferguson as a “material witness,” noting that her visits to Epstein’s residences were regular, and suggested she may have seen as much as Andrew did. Conversely, media lawyer Jonathan Coad, who previously represented Ferguson in defamation and privacy cases, stated that “there’s no chance” she will travel to the U.S. and advised her against it, saying it would be a disaster for her, her daughters, and Andrew.
The scandals surrounding Epstein have impacted Ferguson’s standing; she has lost sponsorships and had her charity roles revoked, lost her title as Duchess of York after her ex-husband renounced the Duke of York title due to his connections with Epstein, and was forced to vacate the couple's home in Windsor despite their divorce in 1996. A children’s book she had intended to publish was withdrawn after being delayed, and she may soon lose her Freedom of the City of York award as the city council is scheduled to meet on March 26 to discuss a proposal regarding this matter.
Regarding Ferguson's current whereabouts, reports are conflicting, suggesting locations in the Emirates, Portugal, Switzerland, and a wellness retreat in Ireland, with her managing to avoid public appearances or being photographed so far. Meanwhile, rumors have circulated about lucrative offers from U.S. networks for a tell-all interview or to write a memoir, but HarperCollins declined to comment when asked about any negotiations regarding a memoir.
Last month, Ferguson's charity, Sarah's Trust, announced it would be closing “until further notice,” and the Charity Commission confirmed it had received a formal request to close the organization.