Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, has suffered another significant setback as her latest children’s book, Flora and Fern: Kindness Along The Way, has been abruptly withdrawn from sale. The move comes as Ferguson, 66, finds herself at the center of renewed controversy and personal upheaval, largely stemming from her ex-husband Prince Andrew’s ongoing scandal involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The book, which had been scheduled for release on October 9, 2025, was initially delayed, with some retailers listing a revised publication date of November 20. However, last week, the title vanished from major online retailers, including Amazon. According to the BBC, analytics firm NielsenIQ Book Data confirmed that the book was officially marked as "withdrawn from sale" at the publisher’s request as of November 15, 2025. New Frontier Publishing, which was set to release the title, has not responded to repeated requests for comment, leaving the reasons for the withdrawal officially unspoken.
While the publisher remains silent, industry insiders and media reports suggest the timing is far from coincidental. Neill Denny, editor of the book trade news website Book Brunch, told the BBC, “You have to imagine it's to do with the current controversies. It's not the right time to release a book by Sarah Ferguson.” Denny speculated that the publisher may simply be waiting for the storm to pass, saying, “It's not the sort of book that's going to age, and you're not risking a lot of money by holding it back.”
Sarah Ferguson’s literary career has been prolific, spanning more than 70 books, including beloved children’s titles like Budgie the Little Helicopter and Little Red, as well as adult novels such as Her Heart for a Compass. The withdrawal of Flora and Fern raises questions about the future of her publishing projects, which have long been central to her public persona and creative life.
The abrupt shelving of the book comes at a particularly sensitive time for Ferguson. In October 2025, Prince Andrew—her former husband—was stripped of his Prince title and agreed to surrender the lease on the Royal Lodge, the sprawling Windsor residence where the two have lived for decades. According to the Daily Mail, Ferguson, who continued to reside at the Grade II listed property even after her divorce from Andrew in 1996, is now preparing to leave the UK altogether. Reports indicate she is planning a move to her daughter Princess Eugenie’s £3.6 million mansion in Portugal, possibly as early as January 2026. A neighbor of Eugenie’s told the Daily Express, “The word here is that Fergie will be arriving sometime in January.”
Ferguson’s retreat from public life and her potential relocation abroad are seen by some as efforts to escape the relentless media scrutiny that has intensified in the wake of the Epstein scandal. Royal biographer Robert Jobson noted on HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast that Ferguson is "not doing great" following the Royal Lodge eviction and the latest round of negative press. Author Andrew Lownie added that going “under the radar” abroad could be an appealing option for both Ferguson and Andrew, suggesting, “I think a stronger possibility is that she goes [to Switzerland] and he goes somewhere else, possibly without extradition treaties to the United Kingdom.”
At the heart of the controversy is Ferguson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The Mail on Sunday recently published a leaked 2011 email in which Ferguson apologized to Epstein just weeks after publicly disowning him. In the email, she described Epstein as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend,” confessing that her public distancing from him was motivated by a desire to protect her own reputation. This revelation directly contradicted her earlier public statements, in which she called her involvement with Epstein a “gigantic error of judgment.”
The fallout was swift and severe. Ferguson was dropped by seven charities, including the Teenage Cancer Trust, the British Heart Foundation, Julia’s House children’s hospice, and Prevent Breast Cancer. A spokesman for Ferguson explained that the apologetic email was sent to counter an aggressive threat from Epstein to sue her for defamation. Nevertheless, the damage to her reputation was done, and her standing within the charity sector has been significantly diminished.
Meanwhile, Ferguson’s former publishers have distanced themselves from the controversy. Harper Collins, which published two of her titles—most recently A Most Intriguing Lady in 2023—declined to comment on her current situation but confirmed that both of her existing books remain available. The Daily Mail reported that Sarah Ferguson’s representatives have also declined to comment on the latest developments.
Despite the turmoil, Ferguson has expressed support for her ex-husband’s decisions and maintains that the loss of his titles will not significantly impact her life. A source told HELLO!, “She will always support her former husband's decisions and do anything for the King. For her, this will not make a big difference.” After her divorce in 1996, Ferguson continued to use the courtesy title of Duchess of York, though she has often reverted to her maiden name for professional purposes.
In recent years, Ferguson had begun to reappear in royal circles. In 2023, she attended the royal family’s Christmas Day church service for the first time since the 1990s, marking what some saw as a tentative return to the fold. On Instagram, she wrote, “We are enjoying each other’s company and feeling grateful today.” However, the events of the past few months appear to have reversed any progress toward rehabilitation, leaving her future in the UK and within the royal orbit uncertain.
As Ferguson faces the prospect of starting anew abroad and with her publishing ambitions on hold, her story serves as a stark reminder of how quickly public fortunes can change—especially when scandal and royal intrigue collide. For now, her once-bright literary comeback has been eclipsed by controversy, and her next chapter remains unwritten.
