Fergie 'takes refuge at luxury Irish spa' as former royal keeps low profile amid Epstein scandal

The former Duchess of York fled the UK after she became embroiled in the growing scandal which saw her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested last week.

Ferguson is reported to have visited the Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa in Donegal, where she was spotted at the local airport earlier this month, Mail Online reports.

It isn't the first health retreat the 66-year-old is said to have taken refuge at in the fallout of the scandal, after previously being said to check-in to the £13,000-a-day Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland.

She is also believed to have taken refuge in the UAE where she has close contacts.

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The Irish spa is well known to the former royal after she stayed there in 2024 and posted a clip from her trip onto TikTok.

A royal source told the Mail: "Last time Sarah visited Donegal she spoke about how it was somewhere she could escape to when things were overwhelming, and they can't ever have been more overwhelming for her than they have been in recent weeks.

"Just as she did with the Zurich trip, she knew what she was going to in Donegal as she'd been there before and that it was very remote and very discrete so there was minimal chance of her presence becoming known to the wider world."

In the social media video shot by Ferguson in late 2024, she said: "Hello everybody, I'm here in Donegal. Looking at the ocean, looking at the beach, looking at the shells.

"It's great to be in the wind and just getting fresh air on my face."

She added in her caption: "The benefits of getting some fresh air every day really can do wonders for you. Thank you Donegal!"

Ferguson hasn't been seen in public since attending the christening of her granddaughter Athena's christening at St James's Palace in December.

Numerous emails released as part of the so-called Epstein files revealed direct contact between the former Duchess and the paedophile financier, including her offering "love, friendship and congratulations" to him following the birth of a baby boy in 2011, after his release from prison.

Earlier this month, her charity Sarah's Trust announced it will close amid new revelations over the pair's ties.

A spokesperson said at the time: "Our chair, Sarah Ferguson, and the board of trustees have agreed that, with regret, the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future.

"This has been under discussion and in train for some months. We remain extremely proud of the work of the trust over recent years.

"We have partnered with over 60 other charities in over 20 countries, providing education, healthcare, crisis response and environmental projects.

"We delivered over 150,000 aid parcels during the COVID pandemic, provided medical aid and training for those affected by the war in Ukraine and delivered education for over 200 children in Ghana."

She also had her titles stripped last year after more links to Epstein were exposed, including her allegedly calling the paedophile a "supreme friend."

The charity was established to support a range of grassroots projects, including addressing hunger and poverty.