Sarah Ferguson linked to seven-figure autobiography deal as royal memoir storm intensifies

Sarah Ferguson has reportedly been at the centre of a bidding battle between US publishers over a potential new autobiography, with offers said to have reached seven figures.

The former Duchess of York, 66, was reported to be only days away from agreeing a deal that could see her address some of the most controversial chapters of her life, including her former marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, her association with Jeffrey Epstein, and her relationship with other members of the Royal Family.

However, on September 25, a spokesperson for Ferguson said she has no plans to write a tell-all memoir, contradicting the earlier reports of an imminent deal.

Reports of a seven-figure publishing battle

According to publishing sources cited by The Sun, Ferguson had received several seven-figure offers from US publishing houses.

Those sources claimed that a deal could be completed within days and that a chapter-by-chapter outline had already been prepared, including detailed notes covering several key subjects.

One source said Ferguson wanted to use the book to set the record straight while also improving her financial position.

“Sarah wants to set the record straight about everything and earn some money to resolve her financial issues,” the source said.

Another source described a secret bidding process and said publishers were enthusiastic about the material.

But people close to Ferguson subsequently disputed the idea that she was preparing a tell-all account of the Royal Family’s recent scandals. They acknowledged that she had received “a number of deals”, while saying that direct talks had not yet taken place.

That account was followed by the September 25 statement from Ferguson’s spokesperson saying that there had been no discussions and that she was not writing a personal memoir.

Why a Ferguson memoir would attract attention

The reported book would have arrived at a particularly sensitive moment for the Royal Family.

Earl Spencer’s memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, was published on September 22, nearly 30 years after the death of Princess Diana. The book examines Diana’s life, her marriage to then-Prince Charles and the events surrounding her death in 1997.

Spencer’s account has attracted significant attention because of claims about King Charles and the period immediately following Diana’s death. Buckingham Palace has disputed aspects of his recollections, while Spencer has continued to stand by his account.

Against that backdrop, reports of another memoir from a former member of the Royal Family quickly generated interest.

Epstein links could be a major subject

One of the most closely watched areas would be Ferguson’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Ferguson has previously acknowledged contact with Epstein, who was convicted of sex offences and died in a New York jail cell in 2019.

The Sun reported last year that Ferguson had written to Epstein describing him as a “supreme friend”, despite his conviction for sex crimes.

Documents and emails released by the US Department of Justice from December onwards also showed that Ferguson sought Epstein’s advice over her debts and directly requested financial assistance for rent and bills, according to the report.

US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam has urged Ferguson to testify about her relationship with Epstein. The original report stressed that there was no suggestion that Ferguson had committed a criminal offence.

Ferguson has said she wants to address doubts surrounding her association with Epstein, while the people around her have maintained that she is seeking to clarify her position rather than produce a book exposing her family.

Her history with Andrew and the Royal Family

A potential autobiography could also have examined Ferguson’s relationship with her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The couple were evicted from Royal Lodge in Windsor in February, according to the original report. The same month, it emerged that six companies linked to Ferguson were being wound down.

In October last year, Charles stripped Ferguson of her Duchess title amid worsening allegations surrounding Epstein.

Ferguson subsequently spent the summer abroad. The Sun reported that she had later secured a new gated home in the Home Counties and that she had used her time away to consider a return to public life.

Friends in the US were said to have been told that Ferguson hoped to clear up doubts about her links to Epstein and rebuild public support.

Andrew, who has been stripped of his royal titles, remains under police investigation over his links to Epstein. He was arrested on his 66th birthday in February and accused of misconduct in a public office. He denies any wrongdoing.

Charles, Harry and Meghan could also feature

The reported publishing proposals were also said to have included Ferguson’s views on King Charles, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The possibility drew attention partly because of the timing. Harry and Meghan returned to the UK the previous month, while the wider Royal Family remained under scrutiny following the release of Spencer’s memoir.

Any comments from Ferguson about the King or the Sussexes would inevitably add another personal perspective to a period already dominated by competing accounts of life inside the Royal Family.

At the same time, sources close to Ferguson said she did not want to produce a book that simply aired her family’s recent scandals.

Ferguson is no stranger to memoirs

A new autobiography would not be Ferguson’s first book about her life.

She previously published memoirs in 1996 and 2011. She has also written the Budgie the Little Helicopter children’s books, which were adapted into a television series in 1994.

That publishing background was one reason reports of a new book attracted immediate attention.

Yet the latest statement from her spokesperson leaves the reported seven-figure deal unconfirmed. While sources cited by The Sun described an active publishing contest and a possible agreement within days, Ferguson’s representatives said on September 25 that she was not writing a personal memoir.

For now, the reports place Ferguson at the centre of another royal publishing story, but whether that story develops into an actual autobiography remains unresolved.