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The Duchess of York made a heartfelt apology today for accepting money from billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard, she owned up to "a gigantic error of judgment" but strongly defended Prince Andrew over the controversy surrounding his friendship with the financier, a convicted sex offender.
She also made a passionate defence of her former husband who she described as a "first-rate father and first-rate man ... who does not know how to tell an untruth or behave dishonourably".
Andrew's future as a trade envoy was in doubt today after a string of revelations about his ties with Epstein, including a recent stay at the tycoon's home in New York and past visits to a Florida mansion where young women were allegedly groomed by Epstein for sex.
Downing Street expressed "full confidence" in Andrew, but Business Secretary Vince Cable put clear distance between ministers and the prince's future, saying there would be "conversations" about his role.
Sarah's apology for allowing Epstein to provide £15,000 to help pay off her debts may take some of the pressure off the prince.
"I personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me," she said. "I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf.
"I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again."
The money was paid to Sarah's former assistant, Johnny O'Sullivan, who was claiming £78,000 in unpaid wages and other bills. Epstein stepped in after discussing the affair with Andrew's office and dealt directly with Mr O'Sullivan, who accepted £15,000 which then allowed a wider restructuring of Sarah's £5 million debts to take place.
Epstein had personally offered to help the duchess as he knew that Mr O'Sullivan was insisting his money was paid in full, which meant the rest of the debt could not be restructured.
Epstein did not speak directly to the duchess about the payment but through the duke's office and then directly with Mr O'Sullivan.
The duchess said: "This is the first time ever in my life, and I mean 'ever', that I have been debt free. It allows me to go forward to do what I do, being a good mother, a philanthropist for children and also an author of children's books.
"I cannot state more strongly that I know a terrible, terrible error of judgment was made, my having anything do with Jeffrey Epstein. What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.
"I had no idea of the string of other allegations and court cases against him and I am distraught that I should have allowed myself to get out of debt with any help from him when my judgment was clouded.
"Once again my errors have compounded and rebounded and also inadvertently impacted on the man I admire most in the world, the duke.
"He has supported me and come to my rescue again and again and there is absolutely nothing that I would not do for him. This make it even more painful for me that what happened has been used by people to make his life more difficult."
The duchess added: "I would throw myself under a bus for him. It is in times of difficulty that character shows itself. I am fiery Irish redhead and I am to remain strong, fight strong and try to do what is right.
"The duke is a man who does not know how to tell an untruth or behave dishonourably. There have been errors of judgment but nothing substantive has been done wrong by him, ever.
"I am not going to stand back and let him take any more abuse from any suggestion or implications of impropriety. It is so wrong.
"He is a first-rate father; he's a first-rate man, the finest that I know. I will not have his name tarnished by me yet again. Look at all that he has done for the country. He works tirelessly."
Sarah believed at the time that she had done nothing wrong because she had no contact with Epstein herself. She now says she realises that this was an error and concedes that she did benefit from his paying Mr O'Sullivan.
"I have made another huge error in my life in order to get debt free but the duke and I are a united front on all that has happened over the last few days. He, my girls and I are a unit who will always stick together even though we live separate lives."
Sarah made clear that the duke was going to New York anyway on the fateful visit when he stayed with Epstein and was not staying at his house at her request. There is no suggestion of the duke having sexual contact with the girls involved or being aware of Epstein's activities.
Sarah said: "The duke sorted out my debts and he and his office have been more than marvellous."
Sarah said that as trade envoy Andrew had "done an amazing job for the country and people should respect that". He has been the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment since 2001. He has known Epstein, 58, since the early Nineties. The financier was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting an underage girl for prostitution. Sarah said her desperation to be debt-free blinded her to the consequences of getting involved with Epstein but insisted: "I will never have anything to do with him again. I deeply regret it. How many more times do you want me to underline that?"
"My whole work is charity and children's books and I just did not think this through. I did not see the ramifications I was so intent on being clear of my debt." The duchess spent this weekend with Andrew and her daughters. She said: "As the father of my children I am fed up with the way he has been portrayed. I believe nothing improper or untoward took place with the Duke and anything to do with Epstein."
Downing Street denied reports that the Government had decided to downgrade Andrew's role and that a review would be held to reduce his responsibilities.
Timeline: The Prince and the paedophile
December 2010
Prince Andrew is pictured walking through New York's Central Park with Jeffrey Epstein. The pictures were made public by the News of the World two weeks ago. Andrew had reportedly been staying at Epstein's New York mansion. The financier had been jailed two years earlier for soliciting prostitution from minors and served 13 months.
February 2011
A picture is released of The Duke of York, 51, with his arm around the bare midriff of Virginia Roberts, then 17, a vulnerable teenager allegedly hired to work as an erotic masseuse and perform sexual favours for Epstein and his friends.
March 2011
Prince Andrew promises to sever his links with child sex offender Epstein. The Duke of York admitted that meeting the disgraced billionaire in December was "unwise" and ruled out further visits to the Florida mansion where Epstein allegedly sexually exploited underage girls.
March 2011
It is revealed that the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson accepted £15,000 from Epstein to help pay off her debts. Epstein paid the money directly to her former personal assistant, Johnny O'Sullivan. The duchess has now admitted that it was a mistake to rely financially on the disgraced billionaire and said she will return the money.
March 2011
The FBI says it will reopen its investigation into Epstein following the revelations about his sexual exploitation of teenage girls and his links with high-profile people including Prince Andrew.
March 2011
It emerges that the prince has been named in legal documents about Epstein. Epstein's PA Sarah Kellen and his model girlfriend Nadia Marcinkova were both questioned over whether Andrew had sex with teenage girls. Both of them refused to answer the questions in order not to implicate themselves, the legal papers show.
Reader views (59)
On Monday the Duchess of York said she had made a “gigantic error of judgment” by allowing Epstein to pay off a £15,000 debt on her behalf. I see this in many of the newspapers. Can anyone confirm as to how much she was paid for her story.
- Duncan Dunnit, London, 09/03/2011 10:30
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I don't think that Fergie is a bad person at heart, but boy does she has incredibly poor judgment, especially when money is involved!
- Mareeam, Arizona, USA, 08/03/2011 19:28
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She will continue to beg for money. She wants money than she earns and expects someone to pay for it.
Sounds familiar.
- edwin, beaconsfield, bucks, 08/03/2011 19:03
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He can "go" from his role as envoy for a start. It seems this is a useful cover to subsidise his world travel expenses.
Last year he spent £620,000 as a trade envoy, including £154,000 on hotels, food and hospitality and £465,000 on travel.
Britain's deputy head of mission in Bahrain wrote: "Officially, he doesn't get paid for the role, but the style in which I observed him carrying it out beggared belief. He travelled with a team of six, including equerries, private secretaries, protection officers and a valet.
"There was also a 6ft-long ironing board that he insisted went everywhere he went. It was hilarious to witness the valet struggling off the plane with it and placing the precious object carefully into the minibus."
Let's face it. The Royals are only suited for one job - whatever it is they are born into.
- Paulw, London, 08/03/2011 14:26
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Cummon you lot, Fergie is gorgeous - wouldn't kick her out of bed! Sod the money and the feax pas!
- Rod, Epping
You’re assuming that there would be one more space to fit you in, Rod?
- mickinlondon., london, 08/03/2011 13:35
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Cummon you lot, Fergie is gorgeous - wouldn't kick her out of bed! Sod the money and the feax pas!
- Rod, Epping, UK, 08/03/2011 11:07
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Her appalling use of the English language in this interview highlights just how uneducated Fergie is. It would be interesting to find out whether the £15,000 from Epstein was the only donation to the "Fergie Fund" or whether she asked any of her other rich friends for money.
- R.F.Yorke, Yorks, UK, 08/03/2011 11:05
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If she was such a good mother she might have some empathy with the mothers of the underage girls Epstein abused.Both Andrew and Sarah have shown how self serving they are again and again. Both should retreat from the public stage and we should not have to pay for security for him or his daughters.He didn't care about the security or well being of the teenagers groomed by Epstein. Paedophiles are dependent on the silence of others.Sarah is only ashamed ever after she is found out.Horrible family.
- mpc, london, 08/03/2011 09:44
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David Ambler - please tell me where Prince Andrew can go? Where? He was born a member of the British Royal family, he can't resign from that in the same way you can't resign from your family! Its not a job its an inherited thing. What he really needs to do is dump his ex wife once and for all, wise up and stop trying to the live the champagne life on beer money (he has very little money of his own). But go he can't.
- milly, London UK, 08/03/2011 09:42
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...and, despite everything, she still can't keep her mouth shut.
- clive burton, London, 08/03/2011 09:11
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What she really means is the she is sorry that she and her Royal Twit have been found out.
- Charly, London, 08/03/2011 07:31
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Only one word to describe her - Disgrace!
to the Royal family, Country, Tax payers and ............
- Hello Kitty, NW London, 08/03/2011 07:23
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i don't think she is sorry she took the money. i think she is sorry she was found out. fergie has never been good at selecting the right people to befriend. remeber the photos of her toes being sucked by her financial adviser? to qualify for admissions into fergie's friend set is to have piles of money. she doesn't care about your character,\.
and if she is as sorry as she claims to be, she'll give it back. she won't, though. she's not THAT sorry.
- Denise, Louisville, USA, 08/03/2011 02:32
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I think Mr. Epstein should be the one ashamed to have been found out he was friendly with this pair of idiots. Based on Andy's behavior, he was probably in on the Fergie hotel heist from the get go!
- puddleduck, ga, 08/03/2011 02:11
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To the Duchess, don't spend more than you have. To the Duke, keep your trousers zipped up. To the Queen, you have our encouragement to throttle the Duke of Pork.
- Mom, Lake Tahoe, California, 08/03/2011 01:50
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Let's assume both Andrew and Sarah live until they're 80 - there's another 30 years of this rubbish to be played out and the Government and the Queen might be wise to ponder how they're going to manage them.
Fergie has NO intention of getting a job (chalet girl in her 50s?) or reducing her lifestyle to match her income - that smug look when she was skiing recently is a good indication of the attitude that lurks under her contrite facade. And Andrew clearly has no intention of limiting his behaviour - they are both deluded, grasping, self-important grubs and their behaviour is an insult to ordinary working people.
Did neither wonder why they are being bought by a US billionaire financier who has been convicted of sex offence????
- Katherine, Sydney, Australia, 08/03/2011 00:56
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"Put himself in harms way" in the Falklands, my foot! Steven, he had bodyguards to do that.
By the way, ever since the Falklands, in what line of work did Prince A. occupy himself with?????????????
- Screamo, London, 07/03/2011 19:48
What!!!!! He had bodyguards in the helicopter he was piloting?
No idea what he's done since, I'm not an apologist for Andrew.
- Stephen C, London, 07/03/2011 23:32
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"I'm so sorry I let child abuser pay my debt....."
No - the only thing this freeloader is sorry about is being found out.
A hypocrite of the first order
- Mike, Luton, 07/03/2011 20:50
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I cannot understand why so many people have got such hatred for Sarah Ferguson.
And yes there are a lot of people out there who are trying to make her life difficult, and they should be ashamed of themselves.
I believe Sarah is a very good mother and would not do anything witch might put her children at risk, hence I don't think she realised when excepting this money through a third party, where it was coming from.
I think it is time to leave her alone and let her live her life I think she still has a lot to offer to society, in the work she is doing and wants to do.
- yorkie41, stratford, 07/03/2011 20:34
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"Put himself in harms way" in the Falklands, my foot! Steven, he had bodyguards to do that.
By the way, ever since the Falklands, in what line of work did Prince A. occupy himself with?????????????
- Screamo, London, 07/03/2011 19:48
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Take away all her privileges and give her 100 hours of community service somewhere in Pekam..She' a disgrace to her kind.
- KC, Kyrenia Cyprus, 07/03/2011 18:54
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Are we not sick of the sight of this woman and her kids emerging from seedy clubs late at night. Why should our police be paid to protect these people ? They are of no consequence. I don't care who she mixes with to get her debts paid.
- Michael, London, UK, 07/03/2011 18:39
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Instead of taking hand-outs from other people, why doesn't she knuckle down and do a proper job: quietly and without publicity. She probably couldn't even do that right.
- Janet, London, UK, 07/03/2011 18:39
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Instead of taking hand-outs from other people, why doesn't she knuckle down and do a proper job: quietly and without publicity. She probably couldn't even do that right.
- Janet, London, UK, 07/03/2011 18:39
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Typical! The Duchess gets a b*****king, while the prince remains untouchable.
- Welsh Bob, London Town, 07/03/2011 18:29
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Funny how every time she gets caught red handed she then begs apology. Is this a PR stunt? Some sort of reality rent-a-royal thing? The last time I saw her was bagging thousands of dollars in some hotel room while trying to sell access to her ex for £500k. Shameless !
- Sam, London,UK., 07/03/2011 18:11
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Considering the privileged up-bringing and education this pair have had they really are dim arn't they.
- stuart, chesterfield,derbyshire, 07/03/2011 17:48
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No, she is sorry we found out.
- shallotman, Basildon, 07/03/2011 17:30
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She’s a game girl is Sarah. Constantly on the verge of bankruptcy, she somehow always seems to haul herself from the edge of disgrace and humiliation. Poor Sarah seems quite incapable of “getting it right” time after time. Blunder after blunder is her destiny for sure. Yet she survives and never completely appears to lose the respect and affection of those who witness her constant embarrassments. She makes her own way in the world trading on her “Duchess of York” title that seems odd considering she divorced the Duke a few years ago. I’ve always found it a bit peculiar that when the ladies go through an acrimonious divorce from a useless numpty of an excuse for a husband – they retain their married name! Being the mother of the Queen’s grandchildren she could never live an ordinary life. But I think she would be missed if she ever disappeared into obscurity. Somebody has to take the “Heat” while her daughters pass through that stage of young life where wild oats are sown.
- Higgnoraimus, Birmingham, 07/03/2011 17:21
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Brady was the finest man hindley had ever met,but that changed,and the tax payer kept them all their life?
- scony, MIDDLESBROUGH., 07/03/2011 17:16
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The Queen must feel very uncomfortable about this mess. She has always conducted herself with the utmost integrity whilst Prince Andrew has not. It has to be said that if Prince Andrew had not been born with a silver spoon in his mouth he would have achieved nothing.
- Simon Ellis, London, 07/03/2011 16:34
Maybe, maybe not. He did put himself in harm's way in the Falklands when he used his helicopter as a target to protect his ship from exocets, not sure I'd be too keen to do that.
Now if you're criticising his choice of wife.......
- Stephen C, London, 07/03/2011 17:09
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Screamo - I'm no fan of the ex-Duchess of York but lets get the facts straight - she received a relatively small divorce settlement 18 years ago (paid for by the Queen out of her own pocket - nothing to do with the Civil List money the Queen receives in order to carry out her role). So what "millions" you are so concerned about? The very fact that Sarah Ferguson scrounges around tells you the woman is broke!
- bella, London UK, 07/03/2011 16:54
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When a woman is young she likes the wild ones,
When she is old she likes the quiet ones.
When she wants security she likes the rich ones,
When she wants risk she likes the married ones.
When she reaches middle age she likes the young ones,
When she is in a wheel chair she likes the caring ones that push.
When she dies she needs six to carry her coffin,
When she looks back she should have been a lesbian.
Men of course only think about getting a quick one of any kind.
They also call their women Princess?
- mickinlondon., london, 07/03/2011 16:53
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"I'm so sorry". Oh for heaven's sake Fergie, change the record. You will NEVER change nor will you ever be sorry for anything.
- jb, sussex, 07/03/2011 16:38
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The Queen must feel very uncomfortable about this mess. She has always conducted herself with the utmost integrity whilst Prince Andrew has not. It has to be said that if Prince Andrew had not been born with a silver spoon in his mouth he would have achieved nothing.
- Simon Ellis, London, 07/03/2011 16:34
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she's only sorry that she's been caught out. These kind of people have no shame and would even take money from murderers. that is how desperate they are. she has always appeared as very needy and petty and even her daughters are like her. cant we get rid of her.
- asha rani, london, 07/03/2011 16:34
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If Prince Andrew is the finest man she's ever met and of course there were plenty with toe-licking exhibitionism,
WHY get a divorce?
He's a prince, a lady would fight tooth and nail to land a prince!!
apart from that, she's enjoying the millions paid to her by the taxpayer.
- Screamo, London, 07/03/2011 16:23
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What happened in France?
Why?
- Lala, London U K, 07/03/2011 16:10
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"The Duchess of York ...backs Prince Andrew as the finest man she's ever known "
and, let's face it, she's known quite a few.
- Stephen, London, 07/03/2011 16:09
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This woman ran up 5m in debts without the slightest clue how she was going to pay for it. She's thick, but the Labour party did the same thing on a much much bigger scale and most of them are meant to be clever.
- Alex C, London, 07/03/2011 16:07
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So she's cleared all her debts and is now debt free! Yeah - she's paid off 25% of the £5million and been let off the rest. Where's the morality?
- peter wright, horsham UK, 07/03/2011 16:05
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I really don't think this lady should open her mouth,no one needs her opinion! I heard only positive things about the Duke of York when he was visiting a trade dinner in Bangkok,which resulted in high praise for the Duke.I think Chris Bryant MP need give no lessons on this subject!!
- margot parker, Kettering, 07/03/2011 15:52
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I hope that one of her, (still employed PR goons,) brings her to this thread and allow her to see what the public really think about her.
A liar and cheat and someone who from the atart of her mariage....cheated the public out of what she could get away with.
from the free ski holidays every year, free schooling for her off sping, clothes and jewelry she always managed to get
Evene last month she was in switzerland on another freeby.
- Jaberwokie, Bern switzerland, 07/03/2011 15:47
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So she'll be giving it back, will she, and getting a real job? Somehow I think not. Scrounger.
- A. Cameron, Liege, Belgium, 07/03/2011 15:20
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Sorry? Fergie is sorry but only for the truth of who and how yet another massive debt of this waste of space was paid.
Fergie as always, just like her former husband, is only sorry when the truth begins to creep out and ends in an avalanche of additional revelations.
Being sorry however, did not stop Fergie being seen less than fourteen days ago in the Caribbean flashing a fistful of currency before then heading for a skiing holiday, with her equally pointless daughters in Verbier.
She is only sorry at getting caught out yet again.
- Concerned Observer, Harrow, 07/03/2011 15:11
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Hear, hear, off with their heads!!
- Diana Johnson, London, 07/03/2011 14:52
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She is only sorry when she is caught. Just like when she used Andrews name to get some more dosh.
Send him and her to the Tower, then off with their heads.
- John, N Yorks, 07/03/2011 14:41
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The duke is a man who does not know how to tell an untruth or behave dishonourably.
No, she manages all that for him.Perhaps she should jump under the bus she mentioned! She would be doing him a favour.
This is a woman who is apparently responsible for teaching honour and ethics to two princesses of the realm...
- Alan, Hamburg, Germany, 07/03/2011 14:28
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She's not remotely sorry.
- jb, sussex, 07/03/2011 14:05
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Fergie - what do you think of the Royal Family being exempt from the Freedom of Information Act ?
- Tom, London, 07/03/2011 14:02
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I have personally witnessed his role as UK Trade Representative in two US states over the past few years. On each occasion his presence was greatly appreciated and the excitement generated by his attendance went a long way to ensure the success of those individual trade and business events.
The indigenous people involved were very grateful to see this particular UK Envoy and the Duke illustrated immense enthusiasm for his role and performed immpecably on behalf of Great Britain. Those who deride his role have probably never witnessed him in action. He does a great job.
- Pragmatic, London, 07/03/2011 14:01
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She doesn't care who pays her debts - any meal ticket will do, which is the only reason she married Prince Andrew in the first place.
- Warren, Edmonton, 07/03/2011 13:59
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A not so clever P.R. job.
Didn't she say exactly the same thing when she was caught trying to make £500,000 for a meeting with the Duke.
- Joe, Lincolnshire England, 07/03/2011 13:58
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The only thing she is sorry about is being found out.
- Stephend, London, England, 07/03/2011 13:57
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Another "grave error of judgement". Get off your backside Sarah and earn a proper living...no one owes you a life, you have to earn it.
- worker, london, 07/03/2011 13:46
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And we're all aware of how many men she's known...
- Keith, King's Cross, 07/03/2011 13:26
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We have heard all her apologies so many times.
Lets face facts.
She is a dimwit and so is he.
- The Pigeons, Muzeltov Hill, 07/03/2011 13:13
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Of course she regrets involvement with Epstein-now that she has been found out. Time to go Andy. Fergie, go and get a proper job. Signed-Ex royalist.
- David Ambler, London, 07/03/2011 13:10
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Could Fergie possibly sink any lower? By her own admission her reputation was already in the gutter. She has finally allowed it to be pushed into the sewer. Having failed in her attempt to "sell" airmiles Andy she now resorts to "prostituting" her royal connection for £15,000.
- R.F.Yorke, Yorks, UK, 07/03/2011 12:57
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