Sarah Ferguson is reportedly determined to make a fresh start and not retreat from public view amidst the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal. The former Duchess of York, aged 66, is said to have left the country following the release of new Jeffrey Epstein files detailing her complicated relationship with the disgraced financier. In one email, Ferguson refers to Epstein as “the brother I have always wished for” and expresses a desire for marriage.

In light of the ongoing scandal, Mountbatten-Windsor, 65, has vacated the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, prompting Ferguson to contemplate her next steps. After her time abroad, it is anticipated that the mother of two will rebrand herself in an effort to improve her reputation.

This potential reinvention may involve distancing herself from Mountbatten-Windsor, with whom she has continued to live despite their divorce in 1996. A close associate mentioned that Ferguson is not one to hide away but requires space to move on from the past five years dominated by the scandal.

Newly revealed emails from 2011 show Ferguson congratulating Epstein on the birth of a baby boy, despite her previous disavowal of him following his criminal convictions. Despite the challenges, Ferguson, a resilient figure from Hampshire, is resolved to overcome the setbacks. Renowned journalist Richard Kay reports that she plans to remain in Britain and has identified a property in Windsor as her new beginning.

Meanwhile, Mountbatten-Windsor has left the Royal Lodge under discreet circumstances, denying any wrongdoing. He is said to have relocated to Norfolk, specifically a property on the King’s Sandringham estate, with plans to settle in fully by early April.