Fresh allegations have rocked the British royal family yet again, as a newly updated royal biography claims that Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, had a years-long sexual relationship with disgraced rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs. The claims, made by royal biographer Andrew Lownie in the soon-to-be-released paperback edition of his book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, have sparked a fierce denial from Ferguson’s camp and renewed scrutiny of both her personal life and the wider scandals enveloping the House of York.
The story broke on May 9, 2026, when extracts from Lownie's updated book were published in The Daily Mail and quickly picked up by other media outlets. According to Lownie, Ferguson and Combs first met at a party in New York in 2002, organized by none other than Ghislaine Maxwell—herself a notorious figure now serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking and a close associate of the late Jeffrey Epstein. Sources quoted in the book allege that Ferguson and Combs began a "friends with benefits" relationship in 2004, which reportedly lasted several years.
The claims are as lurid as they are sensational. Lownie’s sources, including former employees of Combs’s Bad Boy Records and alleged associates of Ferguson, say the pair met up in luxurious hotels across Europe and Africa, with one stay said to have cost over £50,000 a night. "They spared no expense," one source is quoted as saying in the book. Another bombshell: Ferguson is said to have introduced her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, to Combs on multiple occasions, including a 2006 yacht party when Eugenie was just 16.
The book also alleges that Combs was "obsessed" with the British royal family, with a former Bad Boy Records employee claiming the rapper would brag about his sex life with Ferguson. In one particularly disturbing claim, Combs allegedly said, "he could not wait until Fergie’s daughters come of age." The biography goes on to state that Combs’s 2006 perfume, Unforgivable, was inspired by Ferguson and "how she liked a man to smell." According to The Sunday Times, Lownie stands firmly by his claims, stating, "I stand by it, it’s fully sourced with former employees of P Diddy and Sarah Ferguson."
Combs, formerly known as P Diddy, is currently serving a four-year sentence in New Jersey after being convicted in October 2025 on two counts of transportation for prostitution. The conviction capped a dramatic fall from grace for the once-celebrated music mogul, who has also previously settled a high-profile sexual assault lawsuit brought by former partner Cassie Ventura.
As for Ferguson, the allegations come at a particularly fragile time for the York family. Both she and her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have faced years of public scrutiny over their associations with Epstein and Maxwell. Ferguson famously admitted that accepting money from Epstein to help pay her debts was a "gigantic error of judgment," a decision that led to many charities dropping her as a patron or ambassador after an incriminating email surfaced in 2025. In that email, Ferguson referred to Epstein as her "supreme friend" and apologized for publicly criticizing him, despite previously claiming to have cut all ties.
The updated biography also claims that Ferguson had a reputation for being an opportunist and for "sleeping with wealthy men," with a Palm Beach source quoted as saying, "If Jeffrey [Epstein] popped the question, she would have said yes. Even after… he was convicted of being a sex offender." The book alleges that Ferguson made no secret of her desire to marry a wealthy and powerful American, further fueling rumors about her motives and relationships within elite circles.
Not surprisingly, a source close to Ferguson has issued a scathing rebuttal of the claims, telling The Telegraph, "This is absolute fabricated nonsense, blatantly untrue, and yet another false allegation from him [Lownie]." The denial has done little to quell the media storm, especially as the York family’s reputation continues to reel from multiple scandals. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, now 37 and 36 respectively, are reportedly "panicking" over what further revelations might emerge, according to Express.
The biography doesn’t shy away from painting a broader picture of dysfunction within the House of York. It alleges that Queen Elizabeth, Prince Andrew, and Prince Charles were all aware of Ferguson’s alleged activities but "turned a blind eye to protect the family from more scandal." The book also includes unrelated but equally damning anecdotes, such as Andrew allegedly kicking a dog in the head during a Sandringham shooting weekend, and Prince Philip agreeing that Andrew "needs a good scolding from time to time."
Ferguson and Andrew, who divorced in 1996, famously continued to live together for years at Royal Lodge, calling themselves the "happiest divorced couple in the world." However, after the Epstein scandal and the loss of their royal titles and honors, the pair reportedly stopped living together. Andrew was arrested in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released under investigation after about 11 hours; he has not been formally charged and maintains his innocence.
The timing of these fresh allegations is particularly awkward for the royal family. The paperback edition of Lownie's Entitled is set for publication on May 21, 2026, ensuring the controversy will remain in the headlines for weeks to come. Lownie, a historian and literary agent with several royal biographies to his name, insists his work is "fully sourced" and that he has "no doubts about his sources." His previous books, including The Mountbattens and Traitor King, have also delved into the tangled personal lives and scandals of Britain’s most famous family.
Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell’s shadow looms over the entire saga. Not only did she allegedly introduce Ferguson and Combs at that fateful 2002 party, but her connections to Epstein and other elite circles have ensnared numerous public figures. Ferguson’s friendship with Maxwell reportedly deepened during her financial troubles, with Maxwell and Epstein helping her avoid bankruptcy. Ferguson’s subsequent admission that accepting help from Epstein was a mistake has done little to repair her public image.
As the royal family braces for more revelations, the court of public opinion remains divided. Some see the fresh claims as yet another example of opportunistic mudslinging by authors and former insiders eager for attention and profit. Others, however, believe the allegations are part of a disturbing pattern of questionable associations and poor judgment by senior royals, especially as more details about their private lives come to light.
For now, the House of York is left to weather another storm, with Ferguson and her daughters under the microscope once again. Whether the allegations in Lownie’s book are ultimately proven true or dismissed as "fabricated nonsense" may matter less than the damage already done to the family’s battered reputation.