The controversy dates back to May 2010 when Sarah was filmed by the now-defunct News of the World, offering access to Prince Andrew for £500,000 to an undercover journalist. It seemed the pressure was too much for her, as she walked out of the interview soon after Usher began probing into the scandal, although she eventually returned to conclude the discussion. This footage was shared by 60 Minutes Australia on its Instagram on Tuesday, after organizations began distancing themselves from Sarah on Monday, following the disclosure of her 2011 apology email to Epstein. Significant among these was the Teenage Cancer Trust, which ended their 35-year patronage.

The email to Epstein, wherein Sarah referred to him as a ‘supreme friend’, reportedly followed a ‘threatening’ call in which he supposedly threatened to ‘destroy’ her family. Her then-spokesperson, James Henderson, stated that the message was sent after a ‘menacing’ call from the [sexual] offender, possessing a ‘Hannibal Lecter-type voice’, according to the Telegraph. Nearly a year prior to this email, Sarah had been filmed in May 2010, offering to accept cash in exchange for access to her ex-husband, audibly stating: ‘£500,000 when you can, to me, open doors.’ In her interview with Usher, he asked if she had accepted the money, to which she responded affirmatively, clarifying that she returned it immediately.

Michael further inquired, ‘After the scandal surfaced?’ Sarah, appearing frustrated, clarified, ‘As soon as I realized it was a scandal, not after it surfaced, Michael. Don’t try to mislead me, I won’t play along. Cut that part out. I don’t want to go down this road.’ She then turned to her Australian agent, John, off-screen, indicating her reluctance to continue with those questions. Upon the interviewer’s insistence to proceed, Sarah agreed, moving to the next question. Reflecting on whether the scandal prompted a life reassessment, Sarah remarked: ‘I was grateful for the situation in a way because reaching rock bottom was a wake-up call.’ She then signaled to her agent for a five-minute pause.

In a sudden move, the Duchess stood up and left the interview but returned later, maintaining a frosty demeanor towards the host. Speaking about the interaction during a radio show in December 2024, Usher disclosed on Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie: ‘I had to call her Duchess, she insisted, showing lots of formality.’ ‘But she was mostly fine and relatively kind. Yet there was just this moment when she turned, and it was quite challenging to get her back in the chair. She returned, continued the interview, and then had a different personality all over again,’ he recounted.

After this awkward encounter, the journalist claimed that as he and his team were exiting, Sarah hurried after them. ‘We were outside when the Duchess came running towards me barefoot, carrying her heels, inquiring, “Michael, how was that?”‘ he fondly recollected. ‘By that moment, I advised her that if I were her, I’d consider redoing the entire interview because it went awry.’ Then she offered, ‘Oh well, who would like a book signed? I’ll sign yours, what are your kids’ names?’ and from there, she carried on.’ At the time, Sarah’s Australian representation, John Scott, alleged the broadcast was taken out of context, demanding the network retract its adverts and delete parts of the interview.

He told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper: ‘We had gone through all the questions and subject matter beforehand and filmed all the walking in the park footage before we sat down. ‘She did walk out when she was ambushed – no, it was entrapment – but after cooling down she said to me, “[Expletive] them, let’s do this”, and she did, but it was a banal interview and her demeanor reflected that.’ John said Sarah was shocked when asked to watch the News of the World footage again during the 60 Minutes interview and claimed it was ‘unnecessary’, because she had obviously already seen it and had agreed to answer questions about it. But 60 Minutes producer Mr Thomson said: ‘She agreed to talk about the issue, as she has already extensively done, so it certainly wasn’t entrapment.’

The shocking interview has been shared online this week after several charities severed ties with her on Monday once it had emerged she apologized to [child predator] financier Epstein in April 2011 after publicly disowning him in the media. Among the organizations to end their relationship with the Duchess after the email came to light was Wiltshire and Dorset-based children’s hospice Julia’s House, Prevent Breast Cancer, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. The British Heart Foundation also said Sarah was no longer a serving ambassador for the charity. Julia’s House said it would be ‘inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity’ – citing her correspondence with Epstein as a deciding factor.

Meanwhile founders of food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation said they were ‘disturbed’ to read her correspondence with him. Sarah also resigned from the Youth Impact Council, a US-based charity that helps young people. James Henderson, the Duchess’s spokesperson at the time, told The Telegraph: ‘People don’t understand how terrible Epstein was. I can remember everything about that call. ‘It was a chilling call and I’m surprised anybody was ever friends with him given the way he talked to me. ‘He said he would destroy the York family and he was quite clear on that. He said he would destroy me. He wasn’t shouting. ‘He had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. It was very cold and calm and really menacing and nasty.’

He continued: ‘The pressure she was put under to protect her family must have been huge. I am sure there were legal actions. ‘And this was long before the Duke’s life had been ruined by his association with Epstein. It was 14 years ago and everyone will do what they have to do to protect their family. Her family and children will always come first for her.’ The phone call reportedly took place in the wake of the duchess’s interview with the Evening Standard on March 7 2011, in which she apologised for accepting £15,000 from Epstein. During the interview, Sarah told the newspaper: ‘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 have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.’ A little over a month later, the Duchess sent a message to Epstein, reported by The Mail on Sunday, in which she said: ‘I know you feel hellaciously let down by me.

‘And I must humbly apologize to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.’ It continued: ‘I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you. And if I did – I would cause more problems to you, the duke and myself. I was broken and lost. ‘So please understand. I didn’t want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry.’ Following the announcements by the charities on Monday, family members of Virginia Giuffre praised their ‘decisive action’ by cutting ties with Sarah. Ms Giuffre, who died in Western Australia in April aged 41, was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted [sexual] offenders Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. 

In 2022, she settled a lawsuit against Andrew for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein. He denied the claim and ever meeting Ms Giuffre. American-born Ms Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, and her sister-in-law Amanda Roberts, said in a statement: ‘It is commendable that these seven charities have cut ties with Sarah Ferguson in light of her connections to Epstein. ‘This decisive action sends a strong message about accountability and the need to confront those who support the horrific child trafficking network established by Epstein and Maxwell.’

They added: ‘It raises important questions about our own efforts in America. Are we doing enough to condemn those complicit in these crimes? ‘We should follow the example set by these organizations and take meaningful steps to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice.’ Ms Giuffre was ‘systematically failed by nearly every powerful institution that was meant to protect her’, they said, before commending the ‘forceful response’ from the charities. They added: ‘In absence of governmental accountability, we urgently need stronger public condemnation of the men and women involved in propping up Epstein’s horrific child [sexual] trafficking network here in America to begin pursuing real justice.’ Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. The death was ruled a [self-murder].