A chandelier-lit dinner, a lectern, polite laughter on cue — there are few things more British than paying good money to be mildly entertained over pudding. That is why the latest whisper around Sarah Ferguson feels so jolting: the Duchess of York, newly re-shadowed by the Jeffrey Epstein email cache, is said to be sniffing around the after-dinner circuit with a price tag that would make even hardened event planners blink.
For readers attempting to follow the overlapping scandals, here is the essential outline: Ferguson's ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has been arrested and questioned by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, then released 'under investigation'; the recent release of Epstein documents has brought Ferguson's old messages back into the spotlight; and, in that glare, she is reportedly exploring speaking engagements, with correspondence suggesting expectations of £150,000 plus expenses, including two first-class flights.
