Duchess of York removed as Patron by 5 children’s charities.

I suppose that because abuse is regarded as sexual activity, whereas Ghislaine Maxwell procured them.
Someone is releasing this information: Mandelson, Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, no doubt to divert attention from all the men named in Guiffre's deposition which she swore never to reveal.
No honour among thieves.

I never did take to Fergie right from the beginning.

I always saw her as a ''I always need attention'' type.

I find her creepy and slimy.

valdavi

Smileless2012

Makes sense; who would want someone considered a convicted paedophile was a friend to be involved with a children's charity or any charity.

I don't think he was a convicted paedophile when she addressed him as friend, & I'm pretty sure he didn't go round saying to social acquaintances "you know, I'm likely to go down to posterity as a convicted paedophile, so if you want to distance yourself from me, go ahead..."
Not a Fergie fan, but it makes me exceedingly cross.
Judge people by what they say, what they do, and even, with reservations. by the company they currently keep - but not who was on their friends list decades ago.
It's different for the men, because there's always the possibility they participated in the abuse.

He was convicted of sex offences against a 14 year old girl. Sarah Ferguson publicly disowned him. A couple of weeks later in a private email, she was gushing in her friendship. Said she’d had to publicly disown him on advice, to protect the brand of her children’s books

As an aside valdavi, I find your suggestion it’s different for men, because there’s always the possibility they participated in the abuse stunningly naive. Especially in this case, where Ghislaine Maxwell is in prison for her role in abusing girls

merlotgran

Anniebach

Recently she said the late Queen speaks to her through the dogs !

Which proves even more that she’s barking! 🐕🐕

It's obviously lost in translation too, as the late Queen was a very astute woman, although, if she had a blind spot, it was Andrew.

Anniebach

Recently she said the late Queen speaks to her through the dogs !

Which proves even more that she’s barking! 🐕🐕

According to news papers today (Mail online) 🙄 he paid of debts of £15,000 in 2011, not a mega amount in their billionaire lifestyles , I wonder if she thinks it was worth it today, you have too crawl for his forgiveness in distancing yourself from someone who was already under investigation.
I often wonder about women who condone a paedophile actions when they have daughters of the same age.

Casdon

I’m not a fan of either of them, but I do wonder if Sarah’s ‘friendship’ with Epstein was not only driven by her own money situation. My gut feeling is that Epstein had a lot on Andrew that we don’t know about, but Sarah does, and he was either blackmailing him or threatening to. If that is the case, she would have been trying to protect her family - and it may explain why the Royal family allowed her back into the fold.

I also share your opinions. There’s something that doesn’t sit right with their behaviour. As previously said Prince Philip seemed to have their measure.

I’m not a fan of either of them, but I do wonder if Sarah’s ‘friendship’ with Epstein was not only driven by her own money situation. My gut feeling is that Epstein had a lot on Andrew that we don’t know about, but Sarah does, and he was either blackmailing him or threatening to. If that is the case, she would have been trying to protect her family - and it may explain why the Royal family allowed her back into the fold.

I think maybe the King kindly started to give her a margin of error, and also perhaps for the sake of her daughters, by slowly allowing her to edge her way back into the family circle so to speak.

But these latest revelations have rather thwarted his attempts.

Plus the rather unfortunate photos of her and Prince Andrew having what appeared to be a whale of a time laughing and joking on the steps of Westminster Cathedral after the Duchess of Kent's funeral.

I think they'd serve themselves, the Royal Family and the country well by quietly and quickly disappearing over the horizon. For sure if they're still up to their shenanigins when William becomes King they may not know what's hit them.

Maybe this will be the impetus Charles needs to throw the pair of them out of Royal Lodge.
He’s been trying to eject Andrew for many months without success.

Prince Philip had the measure of Sarah Ferguson didn’t he?

ferry23

They both seem to have dug a hole so deep that there's no clambering out of it now.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive".

ferry23 That took me back. My Granny would often say this. I haven't heard it in years.

Recently she said the late Queen speaks to her through the dogs !

They both seem to have dug a hole so deep that there's no clambering out of it now.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive".

I think in her case as with Prince Andrew it does indeed always come down to money Her extravagances would make Marie Antoinette look parsimonious.
I am the last person to find excuses for Prince Andrew but you might argue that he had been surrounded by fawning courtiers and a mother who indulged him all his life. Sarah Ferguson on the other hand had a pretty average (if upper) middle class Home Counties upbringing.

Jeremy Vine, a guest on now speaking , Fergie is devastated, she wrote the email to protect her family

Surely this will not be believed

Tizliz

It is her excuse that I find strange, why didn't she stand up to him?

*email to Epstein, describing him as a friend, was written to counter a threat from him to sue her for defamation*

She couldn't have afforded to stand up to him. It probably all comes down to money - he'd given/lent her money previously, maybe he called in the debt. We only have her side.

friendlygingercat

How many of us would like to be castigated for emails we sent 2 decades ago? Seems a bit overkill to me. She is not the sharpest tool in the box (hoaxed by the fake sheik) but I dont think she is evil.

I don't think impropriety on this scale has a time limit on it. It's no different to an inciminating written letter.

Electronic communications are just as legally binding as any other form of communication. You can't excuse someone just because the deed was some time ago.

She may not be evil, but she does appear to be manipulative and scheming and quite happy to live in debt not only to her myriad of wealthy and often dubious contacts, but more importantly, to the British tax payer.

The email that has come to light was sent by SF after Epstein's conviction valdavi so she is being judged on what she said, what she did and the company she was keeping at the time; 'company' with a convicted paedophile.

How many of us would like to be castigated for emails we sent 2 decades ago? Seems a bit overkill to me. She is not the sharpest tool in the box (hoaxed by the fake sheik) but I dont think she is evil.

It is her excuse that I find strange, why didn't she stand up to him?

email to Epstein, describing him as a friend, was written to counter a threat from him to sue her for defamation

I think the best thing Andrew and Fergie could do would be to pack their bags and disappear into the sunset to exile in some distant land, never to be seen again!

I used to feel sorry for her but of course we didn’t know the half of it. No wonder Prince Philip insisted she stay beyond arm’s length.she was like a ticking time bomb.

I think both their daughters know what their parents are like. Although I was a fan of the late Queen I now think her judgement and treatment of her family flawed.

She wasn’t kept onside from 1992 until after 2022

But Fergie has to be kept onside, as she knows where all the bodies are buried.