It’s a story that blends royal intrigue, business ambition, and the pitfalls of modern tech ventures: vVoosh, a lifestyle app backed by Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, has collapsed after burning through millions in funding and receiving more than £1 million in UK taxpayer money—without ever launching a product. The unraveling of vVoosh, founded in 2010 by Manuel Fernandez, a close confidant of Ms. Ferguson, marks the latest in a series of setbacks for the ex-royal, whose business and public life have been dogged by controversy in recent months.
According to GB News and The Telegraph, vVoosh was envisioned as a “revolutionary” app, promising users “the power to Find, Plan, Share, Live, and Remember all the things you love to do – and those you’re yet to try.” The company raised approximately £9 million over its 15-year existence, with more than £1 million coming in the form of UK government research and development tax credits. Despite this significant backing, the app never saw the light of day.
Sarah Ferguson, who described herself as an “ambassador” for vVoosh in 2016, was more than just a figurehead. Through her La Luna Investments company, she lent £50,000 to the venture and held just under one percent of its shares. She was often seen at high-profile events alongside Fernandez, including Sir Bob Geldof’s wedding and the Cannes Film Festival, fueling speculation about the nature of their relationship. However, as reported by The Telegraph, Ferguson has repeatedly denied any romance, stating, “We are just friends – friends and business partners.”
The company’s fate was sealed in November 2025 when it was placed into administration. The firm’s administrator’s report, filed this week, paints a picture of a business beset by mismanagement and internal strife. Teams in both London and India were paid to develop the app, but progress stalled when the Indian contractor threatened legal action, leading to a halt in development. A breakdown in communication between the directors and Fernandez—who had resigned as a director earlier in 2025 and ceased all contact—left the company rudderless.
Financial woes compounded. The administrator’s report notes that vVoosh is owed £324,609 by a former director, believed to be Fernandez, who is understood to have left the UK after selling his £1.3 million North London house last year. Earlier this month, Fernandez denied allegations of taking money from the firm, telling The Times that such claims “will be disproven in the course of legal proceedings.”
The problems didn’t end there. The company’s charitable arm, which had been set up to support related causes, has failed to file any financial reports. The Charity Commission is now investigating and has begun formal proceedings to remove it from the register, with a spokesperson telling The Times, “We have now instigated the formal removal of the charity from the Register of Charities on the basis that it does not operate.”
For Sarah Ferguson, the collapse of vVoosh is just the latest in a string of public embarrassments. In November 2025, it emerged that a cryptocurrency mining firm that had agreed to pay her up to £1.4 million for acting as a “brand ambassador” also failed, allegedly costing investors millions. The firm’s co-founder has denied any misconduct and claims to be working to repay backers, but the damage to Ferguson’s reputation lingers.
Adding to her woes, Ferguson’s latest book—an unpublished novel—was abruptly withdrawn from the market in December 2025, with insiders revealing that 10,000 copies were to be pulped. “It’s not been delayed, it’s being pulped,” a source told the Mail. “It’s an acknowledgement of the inevitable. No one is going to want to buy it.” A local bookshop that had planned a meet-and-greet with Ferguson was forced to refund tickets, with a staff member lamenting to the publication, “It’s a mess. The book is unsalvageable.”
Ferguson’s fall from grace has not been limited to the business world. After her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was stripped of his Duke of York title due to his links with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Ferguson lost her own Duchess of York title. In September 2025, several charities dropped her as a patron after an email surfaced in which she described Epstein as her “supreme friend.” The repercussions were swift, with her name removed from various charitable initiatives.
Meanwhile, the personal and professional setbacks appear to have prompted Ferguson to consider a fresh start abroad. Friends of the 66-year-old claim she is planning to relocate to Portugal in January 2026, with her daughter, Princess Eugenie, arranging accommodation in the exclusive oceanfront community of Melides, some 82 miles south of Lisbon. “The word here is that Fergie will be arriving sometime in January,” a resident of the gated community told the Express. “How long she’ll stay is anyone’s guess, but if it’s a long-term move, I can guarantee she’ll fit well into the social scene. Scores of celebrities and Hollywood stars have been snapping up properties in the area.”
As for vVoosh, the company’s demise has left a trail of questions and disappointment. The app’s promise to revolutionize how people organize and share their lives never materialized, despite substantial financial and personal investment from high-profile backers. The breakdown in communication between directors, legal threats from international contractors, and the sudden departure of Fernandez all contributed to the company’s undoing. The Charity Commission’s ongoing investigation into the dormant charitable arm is just another chapter in a saga of missed opportunities and unfulfilled promises.
Sarah Ferguson’s representatives, as well as Fernandez, have so far declined to comment publicly on the collapse of vVoosh. For Ferguson, whose public image has been battered by failed ventures and controversial associations, the coming months in Portugal may offer a much-needed respite—or simply another chapter in a life marked by both privilege and tumult.