Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has long been plagued by financial troubles stemming from a pattern of reckless spending, according to royal biographer Andrew Lownie. Her debts reportedly exceeded £5 million by 1995, and she was known for running up huge bills at stores like Harrods without paying. Despite her financial woes, Ferguson believed there would always be 'a deal around the corner' to bail her out.
The late Queen Elizabeth intervened on 'several' occasions, providing six-figure cash sums to help Ferguson. However, after the Palace declared that 'the Duchess's financial affairs are no longer Her Majesty's concern', Ferguson was forced to seek support elsewhere. This led her to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile, from whom she accepted a £15,000 loan in 2011, later revealed to be part of a longer financial relationship.
New emails obtained by The Mail on Sunday show Ferguson begging Epstein for $50,000 to $100,000 to cover 'small bills' and asking to visit his private island, joking whether her debts made it 'unavailable to bankrupts'. Epstein also paid off debts Ferguson owed a former employee but grew angry when she failed to repay him as promised. A source said, 'It was Epstein who ended up dumping them. He got sick and tired of Sarah constantly asking him for money.'
Ferguson's financial dependency extended beyond Epstein. In 1994, close friend Lily Mahtani lent her £100,000 for a holiday in the South of France but was forced to threaten legal action after Ferguson repaid only £5,000, claiming the rest was a gift. Lownie noted that Ferguson had £750 in daily interest accruing and owed her hairdresser £40 for work done the previous autumn, while spending £14,000 in one month with a London wine merchant.
