Sarah Ferguson pictured hiding out in luxury ski resort as she’s seen for first time in 7 MONTHS amid Epstein scandal

Sarah Ferguson pictured hiding out in luxury ski resort as she’s seen for first time in 7 months amid Epstein scandal

SARAH Ferguson is hiding out in Austria amid calls for her to come clean about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Our world exclusive photos show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ex-wife stony-faced at a luxury Alpine ski resort.

Sarah Ferguson in a light blue baseball cap, dark jacket, and eyeglasses.
Sarah Ferguson has been pictured hiding out in a £2,000-a-night ski chalet in Austria amid the Epstein scandalCredit: The Sun/Doug Seeburg

Sarah Ferguson walking next to a black car.
Fergie was snapped at the luxury Alpine resort as she’s seen for first time in seven monthsCredit: The Sun/Doug Seeburg

Sarah Ferguson by a black van in the Alps.
She looked stony-faced in a quiet Austrian ski village as she emerged from a blacked-out Mercedes people carrierCredit: The Sun/Doug Seeburg
Fergie, 66, stripped of her Duchess of York title last year, had not been seen in public for 213 days. She has kept silent on calls to give evidence to US lawmakers on her Epstein links.

The bespectacled mother of two looked stony-faced in a quiet Austrian ski village, which we are not naming, as she emerged from a blacked-out Mercedes people carrier near her chalet on Wednesday.

Clad in a blue coat and carrying a teal raffia tote bag, she had her distinctive ginger locks tucked under a white baseball cap.

She had gone to ground following the release of the Epstein Files, when damning emails between the pair were revealed.

A source said last night: “Fergie has been keeping an incredibly low profile while high up in the Alps.

“She hasn’t been seen for a long time and has clearly wanted to keep it that way. Her choice of outfit when she popped out was obviously carefully chosen to help her avoid being recognised.

“The area is absolutely beautiful and it’s very quiet most of the time, so it’s the perfect place for a high-profile figure such as her to lie low when the heat is on.”

Fergie has not officially been seen in public since the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in Westminster Cathedral on September 16.

She was photographed a week later driving out of her home in Windsor’s Royal Lodge.

Her last sighting was trying to hide in the back of a car as she arrived at the christening of her one-year-old grand-daughter Athena at London’s St James’s Palace on December 12.

Wild claims about her whereabouts were sparked after she was evicted from her home in Windsor’s Royal Lodge along with Andrew at the beginning of February.

The former royal, who wrote a memoir entitled Finding Sarah, is said to have been laying “false breadcrumbs” to avoid being found.

But we can reveal she has been using a £2,000-a-night ski chalet to hide out from the Epstein scandal, and sources say that she rarely ventures out.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson attend the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent.
Fergie has not officially been seen in public since the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in Westminster Cathedral on September 16Credit: Getty

Document displaying an email from "Sarah" to "Jeffrey Epstein" with the subject "Just marry me."
An exchange between Sarah and Epstein released as part of the Epstein filesCredit: PA

Close-up of Jeffrey Epstein's face from a file photo.
Embattled Fergie refused calls to come clean on her relationship with EpsteinCredit: AFP or licensors
US lawmakers have asked her to testify to Congress over her “close personal and business ties” to convicted sex offender Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

However, she has yet to respond.

In February, she shut down six of her businesses in three days, raising questions about her future.

Her ex-husband was also dramatically arrested, and daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are thought to be keeping their distance.

The source added: “The Epstein Files have hit like a sledgehammer and Sarah has not wanted to be seen by anyone. She’s been effectively in hiding and can’t face up to what’s been happening.

“She’s been laying false breadcrumbs to stop people following her trail and very few people were allowed in on the secret.

“But she’s seen Andrew arrested and read all the headlines about the Epstein investigations and knows it’s a very grave situation.

“While she knows the scandal is not going away, she effectively has her head in the sand and has taken the decision to hide away for as long as possible.”

The source went on: “Sarah lost her home when she was evicted from Royal Lodge and has nowhere else to go. She’s not invited to ­go to Sandringham to live with Andrew and even her two daughters have kept their distance.

Where was she hiding?

FERGIE’S disappearing act sparked a global hunt — and wild speculation.

The former Duchess of York left Royal Lodge in Windsor at the beginning of February and was said to have travelled as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and even Priscilla Presley’s New York pad.

Friends claimed she had been put up in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier by millionaire pal Paddy McNally at a chalet once dubbed Cocaine Castle by the News of the World.

Other reports insisted she was staying at a £13,000-a-day lakeside wellness clinic in Zurich.

Rumours also suggested she was staying with daughter Princess Eugenie at a £3.6million villa in Portugal or in the “granny annexe” of Princess Beatrice’s ­Cotswolds mansion.

ANDREW Mountbatten-Windsor has been asked to give up his freedom of the City of London before councillors are asked to vote on taking action.

“It’s the first time she has to fend for herself for two decades.

“She is alone but staying in a luxurious setting and is very comfortable. She rarely wants to go outside because she knows what could be waiting for her.

“But the calls for her to speak to the authorities are growing every single day — as is the speculation on where she is. She’s taking it one day at a time but the problem is, the days are now piling up and the clamour for her to speak to the authorities about Epstein and what she knows is getting louder and louder with each day that passes.”

At the Duchess of Kent’s funeral, Andrew was spotted trying in vain to get Prince William in conversation. Fergie spoke animatedly to family members before rushing after Andrew to get in his car.

King Charles then stripped the pair of their titles after The Sun on Sunday revealed the shamed ex-Duke of York had lied when he claimed he had cut off all contact from Epstein.

Sarah, Duchess of York, wearing a black veil, and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, wearing a black suit and tie, arrive for a funeral service.
Fergie was stripped of her royal title last year alongside disgraced ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-WindsorCredit: AFP
As well as Andrew and their girls, Fergie was missing from the Royal Family’s Easter Sunday service, despite appearing with the King and Queen last year.

Beatrice and Eugenie are thought to be avoiding their parents but Palace sources say the pair will attend royal events in the future.

Andrew was arrested on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in connection with his ties to Epstein.

Ex-US ambassador Peter Mandelson was also detained days later.

Last night, a spokesman for Ferguson declined to comment.

 

QUESTIONS OVER HER LINKS TO PAEDOPHILE

RUNAWAY Sarah Ferguson faces calls to be quizzed by US prosecutors and British police over her financial and personal ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his broader circle.

The former royal, who had a close relationship with the paedophile, featured in the Epstein Files released earlier this year.

She fled Royal Lodge at the start of February just over two weeks before her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested at Marsh Farm, Sandringham, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

While there is no suggestion whatsoever she has committed a criminal offence, sources have suggested police would want to quiz her about what she knew.

Last month, US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam urged her to testify about her “close personal and business ties” to Epstein.

He wrote to her to “seek co-operation” with the US Government’s “investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operations”.

In the letter, he said: “Department of Justice files reveal your close personal and business ties with Mr Epstein”.

He also said Congress wants to quiz her about what she knew about Andrew’s “involvement in Mr Epstein’s operations”.

He added: “It is clear that you possessed social and business ties to Mr Epstein and have knowledge of information that can assist our investigation.”

In the UK, nine police forces and the National Crime Agency are investigating the Epstein Files which, among their contents, contain emails sent between Ms Ferguson and Epstein.

In one, she called him “a legend”, adding: “I am at your service. Just marry me.” In another she called him a “supreme friend”.

Epstein also gave her at least £15,000 to help with her debts.

It is not known if any police forces have tried or made contact with her.

It is also not believed investigators in the US or UK can compel her to speak as a witness while staying in Austria.

Austrian cops can arrest British citizens in their territory via a European Arrest Warrant. US authorities would have to make formal requests through Interpol.

Disgraced Andrew was arrested by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office on February 19.

He has consistently denied any wrongdoing in regards to Epstein.

Detectives are reviewing allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking and misconduct as well as flights into airports including London Stansted, Luton, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

They are also probing activities at Royal Lodge on Windsor Great Park, where Ms Ferguson lived with Andrew for 18 years before their joint eviction.