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Sarah Ferguson’s latest business blow casts a dark shadow over her future in the U.K., as the fallout from her ex-husband’s scandals refuses to fade.
The ex-Duchess of York’s new children’s book, which had already been delayed, has now been withdrawn from sale, the BBC reported. “Flora and Fern: Along the Way” was supposed to be published on Oct. 9 but was then scheduled for a Nov. 20 release. It is no longer listed, and the book is not scheduled to be published in the U.S.
Nielsen IQ BookData confirmed to the BBC that the title had been marked as “withdrawn from sale” at the request of the publisher. Fox News Digital reached out to the U.K.’s New Frontier Publishing and a spokesperson for Ferguson, 66, for comment.
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“This is yet another indication that she is now considered a toxic brand,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “Charities have dropped her, and friends are distancing themselves. She has a bleak future in England.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams agreed.
“The axing of her children’s book shows she has no future as a children’s author,” he said. “It is highly unlikely she’ll find a way back from this.”
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On Oct. 30, King Charles III stripped his disgraced brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal titles. He also evicted him from Royal Lodge after weeks of pressure to act over the former Duke of York’s friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The ex-prince shared the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle with Ferguson, making it their longtime home. She is no longer styled as the Duchess of York and must now find a new home.
The mother of two has not escaped controversy herself, with questions lingering over her association with Epstein.
In September, Ferguson was dropped as a patron for multiple charities after leaked emails revealed she referred to Epstein as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.”
According to the Daily Mail, Ferguson, who divorced Andrew in 1996, reached out to Epstein in 2011 after publicly denouncing their friendship during an interview with the Evening Standard.
During that interview, Ferguson expressed her “deep regret” and promised to “have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again,” three years after he had been imprisoned for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
In a statement to The Guardian, a representative for Ferguson said she stood by her public condemnation of Epstein.
“Like many people, she was taken in by [Epstein’s] lies. As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with pedophilia,” the statement read.
“She does not resile from anything she said then. This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”
Ferguson has admitted to accepting money from Epstein in the past.
The ex-duchess began writing children’s books in 1989. Her titles aligned with her charitable work and desire to encourage literacy. The BBC reported that HarperCollins, which published Ferguson’s 2023 historical novel “A Most Intriguing Lady,” declined to comment on whether it plans to sever ties with Ferguson but noted that her books remain in print.
“This is obviously very significant for Sarah and another hammer blow to her future and her sanity,” royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. “The amount of stress being heaped onto her has really affected her personally. She is living on the edge of a precipice, looking down into the darkness below.”
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“Although Sarah succumbed to the rich benefits of a high life, she brought many values too,” said Turner. “I believe her heart was always there to support people less fortunate than herself.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard previously told Fox News Digital that Ferguson has been attempting to keep a low profile since she and Andrew were exiled.
“She is leaning on trusted staff members,” Chard claimed. “Her nerves are frayed. She is shaken to the core by the loss of her royal safety net. She fears further humiliation and worries that the serious allegations will affect her girls’ standing. The couple’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have distanced themselves from their parents’ scandals.”
“Sarah has made it well known among her staff and others that she no longer believes in Andrew and is preparing to go her own way after years of loyalty and public defense of her ex-husband,” Fordwich also claimed. “She’s described as ‘massively on edge’ and ‘panicking’ about her own future.”
“While Sarah and Andrew are currently both still residing in Windsor, they are reportedly sleeping at different ends of the sprawling Royal Lodge. They do get together to discuss their respective uncertain futures.”
“While their relationship had long been described as unusually close for divorced exes — cohabiting and supporting one another through public crises — there is now a real rupture,” Fordwich said.
Chard and Fordwich’s comments came shortly after royal biographer Robert Jobson appeared on Hello! Magazine’s “A Right Royal Podcast.” He told the outlet that Ferguson is “not great.”
“I’ve known her for many years, and I’m not saying that she hasn’t done anything wrong — because it has been documented what she did wrong,” Jobson said. “What I’m saying is, is it the same? Should she be in the same boat as Andrew? I don’t necessarily think so.”
“I think we should all be aware of people’s mental health, whether they’re ex-prince, princess, ex-duchess, whatever,” he added.
Multiple royal experts told Fox News Digital it’s likely Ferguson is considering a move to Portugal. Eugenie, a married mother of two, lives in the country part-time.
Andrew is expected to move to a property on the king’s Sandringham estate and receive private financial support from his brother.
“Many have observed the reclusive Andrew to be increasingly paranoid, ‘ranting and muttering’ around Royal Lodge,” Fordwich claimed. “He’s totally secluded. But both are said to be particularly concerned about further revelations from the Epstein scandal.”
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