Sarah Ferguson checked herself into the world’s most expensive wellness clinic after details about her close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein ruined her

Sarah Ferguson checked into the world’s most expensive health clinic after her close friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein left her devastated, the Daily Mail has revealed.

​The former Duchess of York, 66, fled Britain after she and her ex-husband became embroiled in the growing Epstein scandal, which culminated in his arrest on Thursday.

Although photos of Andrew were repeatedly taken in Windsor and then at the Sandringham estate, Ms Ferguson was not seen in public, even briefly, at the Christening of her granddaughter Athena at St James’s Palace on December 12.

This has sparked global speculation about where the former royal lives, with the Daily Mail finding that she is often housed in a famous Swiss clinic.

More than a month ago, Fergie secretly sought refuge at the world-famous £13,000 Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland.

A Swiss source told the Daily Mail: ‘Sarah went to Zurich just after Christmas and stayed there until the end of January.

​’He always feels at home at Parcelsus and knows that he will receive love and care there, as well as specialist health care when he feels most vulnerable.’

The Lakeside clinic offers several different months-long recovery programs for ultra-wealthy clients. Individuals will have access to 15 medical professionals as well as a chauffeur and private chef.

Meanwhile, on 16 September, she attended the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral with Andrew.

More than a month ago, Fergie secretly sought refuge at the world-famous £13,000 Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland (pictured).

Another friend in Switzerland told the Daily Mail that Ms Ferguson, a regular Paracelsus customer, was said to be ‘absolutely crushed’ by her email exchanges being made public.

The friend said: ‘Sarah developed a strong relationship with Paracelsus, so this was the obvious place for her to get away from it all.’

Following an extended stay in the clinic, thought to have lasted several weeks, the globe-trotting former royal is thought to have spent time in both the French Alps and the United Arab Emirates.

Ms Ferguson’s complicated relationship with the financier became clear following the release of millions of purported Epstein files by the US Department of Justice.

Emails have revealed that the former duchess and her beleaguered ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor maintained close friendships with the pedophile even after he was first convicted of procuring an underage child for prostitution.

The embarrassing emails showed her begging Epstein to pay off her mounting debts, even asking him to hire her as a house assistant because she “desperately” needed the money – even though she knew Epstein was still under house arrest in Florida for child prostitution.

In another email, she issued a humble apology for publicly condemning him, claiming it was merely to protect her career as a children’s book author, calling him a ‘loyal, generous and superior friend’.

But the most damning evidence emerged five days after his release that he had taken his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to lunch with Epstein.

It is perhaps no surprise that Ms Ferguson favored Paracelsus, which is described as ‘a haven where individuals can receive the highest standard of care without being judged’, according to founder Jan Gerber.

The Lakeside clinic offers several different months-long recovery programs for ultra-wealthy clients. Image: £13,000-a-day Paracelsus Recovery Clinic

Individuals will have access to 15 medical professionals as well as a chauffeur and private chef. Image: Paracelsus Healing Clinic

The former duchess has visited the clinic before and took part in promotional activities last year. Image: Paracelsus Healing Clinic

The former duchess has previously visited the clinic and participated in promotional activities with Mr Gerber last year, appearing in a social media video.

Throughout the conversation, she describes how traumatic experiences surrounding her childhood and being in the public eye, combined with her cancer diagnosis, led her to seek mental health support.

He claimed that while at the clinic he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Following the conversation in June, she wrote on Facebook: ‘To find out more, I recently spent time at Paracelsus Recovery in Zurich, a clinic known for its discreet, specialized care for those facing complex mental health and addiction issues.

‘What I found was not just a center of clinical excellence, but also a place of profound humanity.’

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph later, he added: ‘I am not ashamed to reveal that the clinic offers me a haven renowned for its specialist, cutting-edge treatments for those struggling with mental health and addiction issues, particularly those whose struggles are often hidden behind the façade of a public role.’

Paracelsus treatment is ‘one client at a time’ as a team of at least 15 specialists, including doctors, therapists and nutritionists, ‘creating a space where you can feel safe, understood and fully supported’.

The clinic specializes in treating a range of conditions including ‘addiction, burnout, depression, anxiety and trauma’ and is considered the most expensive wellness clinic in the world.

It costs around £110,000 for a three-day ‘thorough check-up’ or £350,000 for a fully customized one-month stay program.

‘Celebrities, oligarchs and nobles who stay here are given top-notch treatment and access to the best addiction treatment providers anywhere,’ the clinic’s website boasts.

‘Customers stay in a lake-view penthouse and have access to concierge and limousine services, as well as a personal chef, butler and on-site therapist.’

The most definitive evidence revealed that Fergie took her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to lunch with Epstein five days after his release (they were photographed together in 2017)

Andrew was spotted leaving Aylsham police station in Norfolk shortly after 7pm on Thursday.

But the expensive nature of the clinic raises the question of how Ms. Ferguson, who has suffered from various financial difficulties over the years, will be able to cover the costs of her stay.

Last week the former duchess bluntly told friends in the UAE, where she is currently based: ‘I need to get back to work. ‘I need money.’

However, Ms Ferguson’s statement on the Paracelsus website published a few days ago, in which she said her stay showed that ‘her mental health knows no bounds’, suggests that the visit may be free.

Fergie has also promoted the clinic multiple times on her own social media pages, such as Facebook and Instagram.

He added: ‘This affects individuals in all walks of life and it is imperative that we continue to break down the barriers of stigma and silence.

‘As a society, we need to foster an environment where seeking help is seen as a strength, not a weakness.’

Fergie has been spending time in the UAE since her stay and, according to royal watchers, has been connecting with her daughter Princess Eugenie, 35, who is in Qatar for the Art Basel fair.

He is said to be laying low in Doha, Qatar, as he continues to ‘get his head together’ and plan his comeback.

He is understood to be looking for a new PR team to represent him as he plans his return to England, but some friends suspect he could restart his life here.

Royal author Andrew Lownie, who wrote a damning book about the scandal-hit couple, believes multi-millionaires in Dubai and surrounding countries such as Bahrain and Qatar are likely to put money into Fergie already.

He said: ‘Neither Sarah nor Andrew will ever be socially accepted again, no matter what they try to do or where they go in England. But no one in the Middle East will care what he’s trying to do.

‘There are people out there that Sarah would happily gobble up and who would be happy to fund both – royals, politicians and business.

‘Such people in the Middle East couldn’t care less about what Sarah did. And even though she no longer holds the title of Duchess of York, she will still be viewed and treated as royalty – and she knows it.’

Paracelsus Recover in Zurich was contacted for comment.

Sarah Ferguson has also been approached for comment.