Is Fergie plotting a lucrative move to the UAE…? As shamed ex-Duchess tells friend ‘she needs money’ to fund lavish lifestyle, here’s how the Yorks could fare in the Gulf

The news that Sarah Ferguson is spending time in the UAE should come as no surprise to anyone; We can say that he started to see the Middle East as the only place globally where he would not be socially and financially excluded.

The former Duchess of York, who was evicted from her long-time home in Windsor this month, along with her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, became a pariah in the west when the extent of their dealings with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein made headlines.

His friends believe he may now conclude that the only place his former royal status can open its doors to is the oil-rich states.

Now they’re asking: ‘Could Fergie really move to the Gulf?’

Royal author Andrew Lownie, who wrote a damning book about the scandal-stricken couple, called. Title: The Rise and Fall of the House of YorkHe believes multimillionaires in Dubai and the surrounding countries of Bahrain and Qatar are likely to put money into Fergie already.

He said: ‘In England neither Sarah nor Andrew will ever be socially accepted again, no matter what they try to do or where they go. 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.’

The family, including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, posted a selfie on Instagram

Sarah Ferguson is thought to be planning to move to the UAE. Image: Etihad Towers in Dubai

Mr Lownie added: ‘There are many dangerous people in the Middle East who would happily help Sarah. People in Dubai have been connected to Epstein via email, but they are safe because they know they are untouchable.

‘They have palaces and estates that they would happily lend to Sarah and I wouldn’t be surprised if they even paid for her plane tickets and covered all her bills to help her out.

‘Let’s not forget that Sarah has no money and has a rather extravagant lifestyle, which she will want to continue.

‘I’m sure Sarah can make a life for herself there, staying out of the public eye and avoiding her Middle Eastern connections.’

Incredibly rich kingdoms and emirates – where even tarnished royals can disappear behind the closed doors of ostentatious palaces and luxury villas – provide the perfect haven for the disgraced former duchess.

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

Eugenie was photographed with her friend Caroline Daur, 30, who was working at an art fair in Qatar this week

Eugenie was photographed in Qatar this week

And he was telling his friends: ‘I need to get back to work. ‘I need money.’

Both have extensive and potentially lucrative connections in the Middle East.

Among them is Dubai businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who was mentioned in Epstein’s latest dossier announcement — though the case received far less critical coverage in his homeland than what Andrew and Fergie have encountered here.

PR guru James Henderson, one of the former Duchess’ closest confidants and official spokesperson for two decades, moved to Dubai last year.

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and it is unclear whether Fergie’s red flag status will actually affect her standing in the money-driven glitzy Gulf State, where her ex-husband Andrew established extensive contacts while ‘working’ as a UK business ambassador.

Similarly, as the Daily Mail revealed last year, Andrew has been offered the use of a highly secured private royal villa within Abu Dhabi’s ultra-exclusive Sea Palace complex should he tire of his new digs at Marsh Farm on the wet and windy Sandringham estate.

Andrew, 65, was offered the use of his beach house in Abu Dhabi by president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whom he met while he was a student at Gordonstoun School. The invitation may also include the former duchess.

Sheikh Mohammed, Queen Elizabeth II Following Elizabeth’s death, he ordered the renovation of a private villa within the complex.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan offered the use of a waterfront house to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, 65, (both pictured)

The six-bedroom property, which has a home cinema, indoor plunge pool and gym, offers the disgraced former prince the chance to live out of the media spotlight

The villa is believed to have been used extensively by both Andrew and his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in the past.

Designers said the renovated villa aims to combine classic grandeur with a ‘young and fun’ interior, using bold colors and marble finishes to modernize the ‘palace-style’ home.

The six-bedroom property, which includes a home cinema, indoor plunge pool and gym, offered the disgraced former prince the chance to live away from the media spotlight.

Cordon Bleu chefs work in a particularly large kitchen; Accessories such as light switches, lamps and faucets are decorated with gold.

When the Sea Palace, built in the 18th century as a watchtower to protect against raiders at sea, was placed at Andrew’s disposal in 2010, Buckingham Palace was keen to emphasize that it was not a direct gift.

The Yorks’ relations with the Gulf go back several decades, and Princess Beatrice was seen hosting a “tea party” in October 2025 at the infamous Ritz Carlton, the same Riyadh hotel where hundreds of Saudi “old guard” were beaten and tortured in 2017.

The Riyadh meeting, part of the prestigious Future Investment Initiative, was the last time Beatrice rubbed shoulders with some of the richest men on the planet.

Some even wondered whether he might quietly move into the old role held by his disgraced father, the late Prince Andrew, who was British trade ambassador.

As early as 2008, there was speculation that Beatrice, then 19, was being groomed for the role when Andrew took her on a 14-day taxpayer-funded tour of Abu Dhabi and Egypt.

The bill he was allowed for Met Police protection in those days alone was estimated at £40,000, as shift patterns meant that one group of police officers had to be sent in place of another. He has never held any public office.

In 2011, Beatrice was reportedly given expensive pieces of jewelry by her royal hosts during another trip she and Andrew took to Abu Dhabi.

Years later, Beatrice was leading an event for female business leaders in Riyadh.

The invitations included the following statements: ‘We invite you to Afternoon Tea hosted by Princess Beatrice of York, Canadian wellness entrepreneur Ruma Bose and US-based organization ‘Lioness Collective’.

Princess Beatrice was seen hosting an ‘afternoon tea’ in Riyadh

Afternoon tea invitations advertised the event as offering ‘insights and bold ideas for investing in women, health and the next generation of leaders’.

Our questions with Beatrice’s co-hosts on ‘The Lioness Collective’ and Ms. Bose received no response at that time.

Considering the turbulent events taking place in the country, many attendees were surprised that Beatrice even attended the event in Riyadh.

His parents were effectively earmarked by King Charles after it was revealed that they had lied about cutting ties with billionaire pedophile Epstein in the years following his 2008 conviction and plea deal for allegedly soliciting children into prostitution.

Since then, with each new tranche of emails and photographs in the Epstein files, the King’s unflinching treatment of the Yorks has only been confirmed.

Beatrice and Eugenie are said to be ‘horrified’ and ‘absolutely devastated’ by the latest scandal surrounding their father – accused by late Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre of having sex with him when she was kidnapped and underage, which she has denied.

When Beatrice took to the stage in Abu Dhabi last year, she rubbed shoulders with some of the region’s major power players, both in public and behind the scenes.

He spoke about artificial intelligence at the Adipec energy conference in the Emirates, where his father reportedly has exclusive use of the royal palace.

Beatrice also met with UAE Minister of Industry Dr. the day before her public appearance. He also attended a special conference hosted by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber.

He was photographed at the event alongside Abu Dhabi crown prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Journalists, including the CEOs of Shell and EDF, the vice-chairman of Microsoft and former Bank of England governor Mark Carney, who is now the UN special envoy for climate action, were banned from attending the meeting.

In an on-stage public interview, Beatrice made sure to highlight the key points by speaking pleasantly and fluently about ‘collaboration’, ‘moving the needle’, ‘broadening the conversation’ and ‘asking questions’.

US journalist Hadley Gamble, who conducted the interview, told the Mail on Sunday: ‘There was a general feeling that Beatrice was an unofficial ambassador to the UK.’

He added: ‘Beatrice was literally in the inner circle at the meeting of global energy CEOs, senior finance figures and policymakers.’

When Beatrice accompanied her father on Andrew’s official trade ambassador trips to the UK, the lines were always blurred and many couldn’t help but notice that it often fell on the weekend of the F1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi or Bahrain.

A few months before he was forced to leave his post as Trade Envoy in 2011, the public was given a rare glimpse into what diplomats were demanding to help arrange Andrew’s trips.

An explosive letter from Stephen Day, former British Ambassador to Qatar and Tunisia and former head of the Middle East department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been leaked.

He told ministers that Andrew should be sacked ‘as soon as possible’ because he was causing ‘serious harm’ to the Royal Family and Britain.

Mr Day said the Prince was the ‘worst person’ to be deployed in countries such as Qatar, where his presence was seen as ‘rude’.

He also claimed Andrew had a ‘worrying’ private meeting with Colonel Gaddafi three years ago at the home of Sakher al-Materi, the son-in-law of the recently ousted Tunisian president, and was described by Mr Day as ‘the worst of all the crooks in the presidential family’.

Andrew’s reign as trade ambassador came to an embarrassing end after three months, but he later turned into a ‘Pitch@Palace’ presenter helping young entrepreneurs connect with potential investors.