Some just love a freebie, so when famously frivolous Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson tied the knot it seemed a match made in heaven. Even when getting divorced they seemed barely able to disentangle themselves from each other, spending decades co-habiting at the 31-room Crown Estate mansion Royal Lodge in Windsor until a couple of weeks ago.
They lived like a duke and a duchess, because they were … that is until their recurring ties and inability to extricate themselves from the web and wealth of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein left them publicly shamed. Now – after fresh claims that we all footed the bill for Andrew to enjoy massages – it seems their joint love of the lavish and the taxpayer-funded freebie could prove both their ultimate undoing.
During her 10-year marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Fergie was infamous for exorbitant spending on staff, travel, and lifestyle, resulting in debts of over £3.7 million by 1994 (reportedly covered by Queen Elizabeth II.)
After her 1996 divorce she continued to face debt; then in 2009, her lifestyle and wellness firm Hartmoor collapsed while owing over £630,000.
In 2010, during the Cash-for-Access Scandal, she was filmed accepting £15,000 to facilitate access to Prince Andrew, admitting later she was “substantially” in debt.
She also admitted accepting thousands of pounds from vile Epstein to pay off debts.
Recently released emails suggested she asked Epstein how to deal with a multi-million pound debt pile while he was still in jail. She then appeared to ask Epstein for £20,000 “urgently” to pay rent in 2009.
“The landlord has threatened to go to the newspapers if I don’t pay. Any brainwaves?” the email said.
Another email from the paedophile claimed that he had helped her financially for 15 years, while she had also appeared to ask for a role as his house assistant in May 2010.
“I am the most capable and desperately need the money… Please Jeffrey think about it.”
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‘Air Miles Andy’ got his moniker due to his own exorbitant use of helicopters to fly him to the next golf course on his party-loving schedule.
But fresh claims about taxpayers funding massages and his excessive travel and lifestyle have surfaced and – regardless of his recent arrest and allegations he denies of sharing state secrets when acting as a UK trade envoy – could torpedo what reputation he has left.
One former civil servant, who worked in the UK’s trade department in the early 2000s, had been so annoyed by Andrew’s request to cover the cost of “massage services” that he’d refused to pay it, but says he was overruled by senior staff.
“I thought it was wrong… I’d said we mustn’t pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway,” he said, about a claim that followed a visit by Andrew to the Middle East.
The Department for Business and Trade has not challenged the claim about Andrew’s time as envoy, between 2001 and 2011, but declined to comment – referring to the ongoing police investigation into the former prince.
There is nothing unlawful suggested in Andrew’s behaviour on travel and massages – despite them being paid for from the public purse.
But what is clear is both Andrew and Fergie were happy to use their ‘York’ name to live a lifestyle that was beyond their means.
This financial craving led them straight into wealthy Epstein’s eager arms – and it would appear has destroyed their reputations beyond all repair.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
