Sarah Ferguson’s Own History With Jeffrey Epstein May Explain Why She’s So Quick to Defend Prince Andrew

Sarah Ferguson is busy making the rounds promoting her new book, Her Heart for a Compass, but it’s shining the spotlight back on an old topic that seems to keep circling the royal family: Jeffrey Epstein. While much of the talk surrounding the convicted pedophile is with Prince Andrew, Ferguson does have her own complicated history with the sex offender.

The former royal has gone through some notoriously public issues with financial debt, including owing her former personal assistant, Johnny O’Sullivan over $100,000 in salary. With no way to pay off that enormous sum promptly, she turned to Epstein to help settle the issue. As a businessman, he restructured her debt, got O’Sullivan to agree to a $20,000 settlement and Epstein paid off her tab. To make matters even more sinister, this entire deal was arranged by Ferguson’s ex, Prince Andrew.

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In 2011, this questionable business dealing came to light, per The Telegraph, and the Duchess of York had to offer a very embarrassing apology. “I, personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me,” she said in a statement to the U.K. publication. “I abhor peadophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say.”

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Andrew’s suspicious ties to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019, created a very convoluted web that the royals got themselves into. But it makes it easy to understand why Ferguson stands by the royal family, no matter how poorly they’ve treated her in the past. And she’s doubling down on her loyalty in her latest press rounds on Good Morning America by sharing that she is a “number one fan of the monarchy” and believes in the “extraordinary steadfastness of the queen.”

But she didn’t stop there, Ferguson wanted to make sure everyone understood that she stands by Prince Andrew’s side, even though they’ve been divorced since 1996. “He is a great man and [our wedding day] was the best day of my life,” she said on the morning show. “I would do it all over again because he was a very good-looking sailor, but I fell in love with him and I think love conquers all.” So if she has any reservations about her ex’s alleged interactions with underage girls procured by Epstein, she isn’t going to share them with us — she is 100% pro-monarchy.

It’s a murky situation that will probably see more headlines and have people asking questions once the sex-trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner, begins in November. Prince Andrew and Ferguson will have to face their alleged misdeeds once again.

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Before you go, click here to find out which tell-all books expose major royal family secrets.

Launch Gallery: A Complete Timeline of Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York's Royal Relationship

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