Sarah Ferguson's 'Freebie-Grabbing Nature' Bothered Aides, New Book Claims

Sarah Ferguson divorced Prince Andrew decades before the disgraced royal's ties to convicted predator Jeffrey Epstein tarnished The Firm's name, but that doesn't mean that she's emerged scandal free. A new book focusing on the former Duchess of York's ex-husband's downfall set aside a little space to detail Sarah Ferguson's shady side, particularly when it comes to money. According to Andrew Lownie, who penned "Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York," Ferguson's penny-pinching ways really annoyed her staff. 

"Sarah rarely paid for anything, expecting to be given products for free or be entertained by friends," Lownie claimed (via Hello! magazine). "She 'borrowed' security from some of her rich acquaintances. She was lent couture and didn't always return it, or she ordered garments and often didn't end up paying for them." The author even alleged that the duchess relied on her staffers to pay for things with their personal credit cards. 

It's unclear if they were ever reimbursed. He also claimed that she leaned on her daughters — Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie — to supplement her lifestyle. "Sarah herself drew on Beatrice's credit card constantly and paid one psychic in cigarettes," Lownie disclosed. This isn't the first time her financial habits have been blasted either.

Former Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson's finances have been a hot topic of discussion since her 1996 divorce from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew). According to People, she got around $475,000 after ending their marriage. The outlet compared the modest payout to the $22 million (plus allowances) that the late Princess Diana received after divorcing then-Prince Charles. Despite leaving with much less wealth than she enjoyed as part of the royal family, Fergie allegedly had a hard time dialing back her spending. "She was introduced to this lifestyle and kept living it," royal author Robert Jobson explained. As a result, "She was desperate for money." 

In order to keep up, the duchess repeatedly attempted to capitalize off her connection to The Firm by seeking out brand deals and kickstarting her career as an author. However, her affiliation with Andrew is now more of a liability than anything. As royal expert Ingrid Seward warned, "This time no one is going to give her the airspace." An April 2026 report by Radar Online painted an even gloomier portrait of her current living situation. According to the gossip rag, Ferguson has been living in Austria at an upscale chalet. However, there's one very important caveat. 

"There is a growing belief that she is actually based in staff accommodation, which would explain how she is managing to remain there without the kind of expense people would expect," a source dished. "There is a wide perception that she is simply too broke to have the resources to sustain a $3,000-a-night lifestyle." Meanwhile, another insider implied Sarah Ferguson was intentionally laying low amid building controversy about her past proximity to Jeffrey Epstein.