Dennis Van Tine ./Retna Ltd./Corbis
Sundays are going to have to be renamed Sting Sundays in the U.K. One of the county’s tabloid newspapers claims to have snared another high-profile casualty: the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.
Ferguson has been filmed allegedly offering to sell access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, for the princely sum of £500,000 ($723,000), claims the News of the World. Watch the video here.
According to the video soundtrack, the 50-year-old duchess tells the “businessman” (posing as an undercover reporter) that “£500,000 when you can, to me … open doors”. It’s also alleged that the money would,”open up all the channels whatever you need, whatever you want, and then that’s what and then you meet Andrew and that’s fine.”
But the newspaper said that the prince knew nothing about the deal and Ferguson hasn’t commented on the revelations, though it does state in the article that her ex-husband (who has been the U.K.’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment since 2001), “never does accept a penny for anything” and is “completely whiter than white.”
Ferguson went on to describe her financial difficulties — she claimed that her divorce settlement only entitles her to £15,000 ($21,700) a year — and how, “I’m a taxpayer, a British taxpayer and I left the royal family for freedom and in freedom it means I am bereft. I’m hopeless.” Buckingham Palace said it wouldn’t be making any comment.
Click here to read the News of the World’s story.