**Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson Takes £400,000 Loss on Townhouse Sale**
The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, has incurred a £400,000 loss on the sale of her townhouse, which she originally purchased for £4.2 million just three years ago. Despite acquiring the property in June 2022, the two-bedroom home has recently been sold for £3.85 million.
In recent months, the Duchess had been renting out the property to a private tenant for an estimated £4,000 per week. She previously stated that the house was bought as an “investment” for her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and that “it seemed like a good time to sell it.”
Although Sarah, 65, purchased the home in her own name, her daughters were also listed on the Land Registry paperwork. A spokesperson told *The Times* last week that the Duchess “wasn’t looking to sell it” but was “asked by the tenant to buy it,” making it seem like the right moment to proceed with the sale. “It’s an investment property for her girls, and so the monies will be reinvested accordingly,” the spokesperson added.
Sources close to the Palace revealed that the funds from the sale are likely to help maintain the residence of Sarah and Prince Andrew at Royal Lodge in Windsor. The 30-room, 19th-century Grade II-listed mansion, set on 90 acres of land, requires approximately £400,000 a year for upkeep.
The townhouse was previously owned by Sebastian Macdonald-Hall, a party-loving DJ and son of property magnate Caspar Macdonald-Hall, whose family fortune is estimated at £950 million.
Sarah and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, continue to live together at Royal Lodge. However, King Charles III, Andrew’s brother, is reportedly trying to persuade them to vacate the property.
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**Charity Relationships Severed Following Epstein Email Scandal**
The news of the townhouse sale comes amid controversy surrounding the Duchess after several charities ended their associations with her following revelations about an email she sent in April 2011. The email was addressed to convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, in which the Duchess apologised and called him a “supreme friend” after having publicly disowned him in the media.
In the email, Sarah wrote:
“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me from what you were either told or read, and I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”
She continued, “As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P-word’ [paedophile] about you but understand it was reported that I did.”
Following the emergence of the email, several charities, including the Teenage Cancer Trust, who had worked with Sarah for 35 years, cut ties with her. Others that ended their relationships include the children’s hospice Julia’s House, Prevent Breast Cancer, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. Additionally, the British Heart Foundation announced that Sarah was no longer serving as an ambassador.
Julia’s House stated that it would be “inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity,” citing her correspondence with Epstein as a key factor.
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**Details Surrounding the Email**
The Duchess’s spokesperson at the time, James Henderson, explained that the email was sent after a threatening phone call from Epstein, described as “menacing and nasty” with a “Hannibal Lecter-type voice.” It was claimed that Epstein had threatened to “destroy” her family during the “chilling” conversation.
Sarah Ferguson has been approached for comment regarding the townhouse sale and the ongoing controversy.
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This development reveals ongoing challenges faced by the Duchess of York in both her personal investments and public standing.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15156179/Sarah-Ferguson-sold-Belgravia-townhouse-400k-loss-three-years.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
