Sarah Ferguson’s hopes of landing a lucrative American book deal appear to have collapsed after publishers reportedly turned their backs on a proposed tell-all memoir linked to the Jeffrey Epstein controversy.
The Duchess of York, 66, is said to have pitched a revealing autobiography to major US publishing houses, hoping to secure a deal worth around $2million (£1.5million). But according to Hollywood insiders, the proposal was met with rejection after rejection — with some companies reportedly not responding at all.
Sources told The Sunday Express that publishers were reluctant to be associated with a project that could be seen as profiting from the scandal that has long overshadowed her former husband, Prince Andrew.
One insider said she ended up facing a string of rejections and even complete silence from some companies. The source explained that no one wanted to risk being seen as enabling her to cash in on the Epstein scandal that has deeply damaged the reputation of her ex-husband and caused lasting turmoil within the royal family.
The setback marks a stark contrast to Ferguson’s previous success in the United States. In earlier years she enjoyed a notable presence across American media, working as a correspondent for NBC’s Today show and fronting major advertising campaigns for Weight Watchers.
Despite the latest controversy, Ferguson is no stranger to the publishing world. She has written numerous books, including children’s titles and novels. In 2024 she released the children’s book Flora and Fern, following her 2023 historical romance novel A Most Intriguing Lady.
However, renewed attention on documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein has once again placed the Duchess under scrutiny.
Emails contained in previously released files appear to suggest that Epstein financially supported Ferguson for more than 15 years. In one email from 2009, she reportedly wrote to him urgently asking for help with rent, saying she needed £20,000 that day because her landlord had threatened to go to the newspapers if she failed to pay.
Other messages from the same period appear to show her enthusiastically discussing potential book projects and brand opportunities with Epstein. In one message, after praising him repeatedly, she seemingly joked about marriage, writing “Just marry me” to the disgraced financier, who had been convicted the year before of soliciting sex from a minor.
Some correspondence also appeared to reference her family. In one exchange she reportedly mentioned her daughter Princess Eugenie returning from a “shagging weekend” in 2010, while other reports suggest she introduced a goddaughter to Epstein after his release from prison.
Following the renewed focus on these revelations, Ferguson is believed to have travelled to the United States hoping to present her side of the story through a memoir.
But insiders now claim that ambition may be over. One source told The Sunday Express that any hope she had of reviving her American dream appears to have been completely extinguished. The person added that the failed book deal suggests she has effectively become a commercial outcast.
Royal author Andrew Lownie recently echoed that sentiment, saying the former Duchess of York will find it extremely difficult to rebuild her public reputation, particularly as she has kept a low profile and has rarely been seen in public in recent months.
Another royal commentator, Robert Jobson, previously suggested in a US interview that Ferguson had long struggled financially after becoming accustomed to the lavish lifestyle associated with royalty.
Representatives for the Los Angeles-based talent agency Artists First, which continues to represent Ferguson in the United States, have been contacted for comment.
