The former Duchess of York is expected to arrive back in the United Kingdom in the coming weeks, according to a person familiar with her plans who spoke to a national broadcaster.
Ferguson departed Royal Lodge in Windsor, the residence she had occupied alongside her former husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in October following mounting pressure over their shared history with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. She was last observed publicly at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent in September.
According to reporting from a tabloid newspaper, Ferguson has been residing at a gated property in the Home Counties and is anticipated to move into a six-bedroom rental home imminently, potentially within the coming week. The property is situated in a leafy area outside London.
Since departing Royal Lodge, Ferguson is believed to have spent considerable time at an Alpine chalet located in Verbier, Switzerland, away from public scrutiny. Her possessions were transported from Mountbatten-Windsor's Sandringham residence this week, the newspaper reported.
Both Ferguson and Mountbatten-Windsor surrendered their royal titles following intensified examination of their connections to Epstein and the subsequent fallout. The pair faced renewed scrutiny after the release of millions of documents last year that illuminated the nature of their relationship with the convicted sex offender.
Ferguson has reportedly already made a discreet visit to Portugal to see her daughter Princess Eugenie following the birth of Eugenie's third child on 3 August 2026, according to entertainment reporting.
What do the Epstein emails reveal?
Correspondence released as part of the Epstein files showed Ferguson in contact with the financier years after his initial legal troubles. In a 2011 email exchange, she appeared to privately express gratitude for his support, stating:
You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.A representative for Ferguson later clarified that this message was sent after Epstein had threatened legal action against her for defamation, and was intended to dissuade him from pursuing the lawsuit.
Additional emails suggested Ferguson had taken her daughters to meet Epstein in the United States shortly after his release from prison for child sex offences. The correspondence itself contains no indication of criminal conduct on Ferguson's part.
According to recent reporting, Ferguson contacted Kash Patel, the current FBI director, in connection with matters arising from the Epstein files. Earlier in 2026, a US congressman wrote to Ferguson urging her to testify about her "close personal and business connections" to Epstein.
How did the Epstein scandal affect her status?
Ferguson lost her courtesy title as a royal divorcee and reverted to her maiden name following the revelations. She was also stripped of the freedom of the city of York after councillors voted unanimously to withdraw the honour in response to the scandal.
Mountbatten-Windsor faced more severe consequences, being stripped of his titles by the King due to "serious lapses of judgment" concerning his friendship with Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any impropriety in relation to the financier.
The expected return of Ferguson to British soil comes shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in the UK with their children to establish themselves as private residents in the Cotswolds, with their children enrolled in local schools ahead of the new academic term.
Key Facts
- Ferguson vacated Royal Lodge in Windsor in October after pressure over Epstein connections
- She is expected to move into a six-bedroom rental property in the Home Counties within days
- Emails released in 2026 showed her in contact with Epstein years after his 2008 guilty plea
- Both Ferguson and Mountbatten-Windsor relinquished their royal titles following the scandal
- Ferguson has reportedly already made a secret trip to Portugal to visit her daughter Princess Eugenie
