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This time last year Sarah Ferguson was gearing up for the festive party season, no doubt buying lavish presents and planning elaborate outfits for events hosted by her glamorous - and fabulously wealthy - friends.
The former Duchess of York was in the fold with the likes of multi-millionaire Instagram influencer Shafira Huang, popstar Ellie Goulding and Made In Chelsea's Mark Francis Vandelli in the run up to Christmas 2024.
Never one to shy away from a famous friend, Sarah has always surrounded herself with the most well-heeled of pals, with her circle at one time or another including supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, Elton John and Demi Moore.
However, it's Prince Andrew's ex wife's friendship with late billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein that's resulted in her fall from grace.
In a leaked email to her 'supreme friend', the mother of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie apologised profusely to the disgraced financier for disassociating herself from him publicly following his child sex conviction in 2008.
Now, Sarah has been evicted from Royal Lodge alongside her ex husband after the King finally stripped his brother of his titles and home after weeks of pressure to act over Andrew's relationship with sex offender Epstein.
From now on, the former Duke of York will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – losing even his birth title of prince - and will be banished to a private home on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, while Sarah, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future, according to sources.
A friend told The Daily Mail: 'The honest truth is that she has nowhere to go and no one to go with. Her future is hanging in the balance,' while a source said: 'People don't want to be associated with her any more.'
So, will Fergie be able to rely on any of her wealthy friends to help her find a new home, or will she be cast out into the cold? Time will tell... but read on to discover the famous faces who could be eager to distance themselves from the scandal-ridden ex Duchess.
Believed to have been introduced by mutual friend Naomi Campbell, Fergie and Kate Moss are old friends, though reports as to exactly when they met vary.
They have been pictured on holiday together twice; the first time in Venice 2013 (when Fergie had her daughters in tow), then again in 2016 when Sarah was pictured on holiday in Greece with the Croydon-born model.
It’s believed they have regular girlie nights out in London, and Fergie was even snapped leaving Kate’s 43rd birthday party at then-celeb haunt China Tang restaurant in Mayfair, in 2017.
Kate even attended the wedding of Princess Eugenie in 2018 and told The Daily Mail that the occasion was 'great and beautiful'.
The two have also been photographed together at multiple charity events over the years, including a Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraiser in 2012.
While it is widely believed that Kate’s closest friends within the Royal Family are Sarah Ferguson, as well as her two daughters, the model also has other royal ties.
It has been reported that she knows Prince William: in fact, the fashionista was pictured rubbing shoulders with the future king when she attended a Windsor event he hosted to celebrate the work of The Royal Marsden.
Elton John
Everyone is familiar with Elton John’s friendship with the late Princess Diana, but he and his husband David Furnish are also close friends with Sarah.
When Elton attended Sarah’s wedding to Prince Andrew in 1986, he did so with his then wife Renata. While neither marriage lasted the test of time, Sarah’s friendship with Elton certainly did.
And when her marriage to Andrew fell apart and Sarah took refuge in Romenda Lodge, on upper-crust Wentworth Estate in Surrey, who should she find just a few doors down - the singer and songwriter himself.
While the pair were neighbours for a while, the Duchess also made sure to support him publicly too.
She was there to witness Elton and David Furnish become two of the first gay men in the UK to have a civil partnership ceremony in 2005.
And she has continued to support Elton's charitable causes - the Duchess is a regular attendee at Elton and David’s annual fundraising event for their AIDS charity.
And when the pair were not fundraising for charity, they were both indulging in their love of jewellery.
The duo shared a mutual friend in the form of Theo Fennell, the British jewellery designer and father of film-maker Emerald and on one occasion Sir Elton is said to have dropped £200,000 in a single visit to his store one time.
But with the singer's high-profile friendship with the late Princess Diana and his links to Princes William and Harry - he was invited to both their weddings - Sir Elton will no doubt want to remain on the good side of the Royal Family which may mean distancing himself from Sarah.
Robbie Williams and Ayda Field
Those watching Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018 were surprised to see Robbie Williams’ then six-year-old daughter Teddy as bridesmaid.
It turns out that Robbie and his wife, Ayda, have been friends with the York girls and Fergie for many years.
Former Take That star Robbie has called the Duchess ‘an amazing woman’ and revealed that they ‘get on like a house on fire.’
Fergie first met Robbie and Ayda on holiday in the Caribbean in 2011, when Sarah was later seen shopping with Ayda in St Barts.
Robbie returned from the holiday on the yacht of the Phones 4 U millionaire John Caudwell saying he had 'made a friend for life' - with the feeling reciprocated by Fergie.
The group got on well enough for the Williams clan to invite Fergie and her daughters to their house in Los Angeles, and by May of 2011 the family was on close enough terms with the Royals to watch the Eurovision Song Contest at Robbie's house in Wiltshire.
Robbie and Ayda were invited to Eugenie's graduation party the following year and in 2013, she and her husband were spotted watching one of Robbie's concerts from the wings of the stage.
In August, Eugenie is believed to have hosted Robbie and Ayda at her home in Portugal, where she lives with husband Jack - splitting their time between London and living abroad.
The group posed for a series of sun-soaked snaps from their joint holiday in photographs shared to Ayda's Instagram page.
Eugenie and her husband are said to know the Williams family very well, and reportedly Eugenie views Robbie as 'the brother she never had'.
Naomi Campbell
At first glance you wouldn’t imagine that a supermodel from Streatham and a posh polo manager’s daughter from Hampshire would have much in common.
Yet Fergie and Naomi Campbell have been the best of pals for nearly two decades, with the pair even holidaying together in Sardinia in August 2010.
Their friendship was cemented when Fergie lent her support to the supermodel's 2015 Fashion for Relief charity campaign to raise money for the fight against Ebola.
During that event, Sarah walked the runway alongside the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood, Pixie Lott, Alesha Dixon and Nicole Roberts, as well as Naomi herself.
The pair have often been pictured dining out and attending parties together, and through the ex-duchess, Naomi developed friendships with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Naomi made an entrance in a striking outfit with feathers and a cape at Eugenie's October 2018 nuptials.
While Naomi continues to model today, she is equally focused on mentoring young designers, working as an ambassador for various organisations and being a mother to her two children.
It seems obvious that Naomi will want to avoid the reputational risk that comes with remaining close to Fergie.
Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding and Sarah Ferguson's friendship dates back several years, with the former Duchess attending the singer's August 2019 wedding at York Minster to Caspar Jopling.
The Love Me Like You Do hitmaker became good friends with Prince Andrew's ex after they met through Sarah's daughter Princess Eugenie, who is close pals with Ellie.
Eugenie and Ellie used to be spotted out frequenting the Chiltern Firehouse in London's affluent area of Marylebone, and Sarah and her other daughter Princess Beatrice joined them from time to time.
Ellie attended Eugenie's wedding to husband Jack Brooksbank in October 2019 at Windsor Castle, and even got up to perform for the couple at the The Royal Lodge after-party.
The pair share charitable passions, having attended a glitzy environmental charity gala together in Sweden, in September 2024.
Sporting glamorous ensembles, the duo posed up a storm for photographs on the red carpet ahead of The Perfect World Foundation's awards ceremony.
But it remains to be seen whether friends like Ellie will still want to be associated with the former Duchess in light of the recent Epstein scandals.
Shafira Huang
Shafira Huang, a Hong Kong high-society socialite and self-described 'style and art connoisseur' with more than 15,000 Instagram followers, last year posted a video from a Christmas event she attended with Fergie.
Apparently hosted by Patricia Mondini, the second wife of billionaire Richard Caring, whose empire includes Annabel's private members' club - a favourite haunt of London's glitterati - the dinner was a lavish affair.
As they playfully posed together for an Instagram story, Fergie and Shafira, who lives in Primrose Hill, London, appeared to be close friends.
No doubt Fergie was at that time supporting Shafira, believed to be in her thirties, after her £38 million home was burgled three weeks earlier on December 7, 2024, with fine jewellery and designer accessories worth more than £10 million stolen.
Yet, Sharifa, who has a high profile in London as well as online - she is Culture Ambassador at Mayfair's Halcyon gallery - will be acutely aware of the damage that her continued association with Fergie could do to the carefully-curated personal brand that drives her success.
Married to international property developer Vincent Wan, Shafira is also said to offer 'a helping hand' to those less fortunate than herself by hosting charity events, according to Vocal Media.
With so many causes competing for support, she likely won't be willing to risk her charity work suffering because of a friendship with Fergie, who has been dropped as patron by a string of charities in the UK.
What's more, pictured shaking Prince William's hand at an event she described as 'such a meaningful night' in December 2019, Shafira will likely be keen to maintain her royal ties - which an ongoing friendship with Fergie would perhaps compromise.
Tamara Beckwith
One of the original nineties 'It' girls, Tamara Beckwith made her name on London's party circuit alongside the likes of Victoria Hervey and the late Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.
Tamara has been pictured with Fergie numerous times during the last decade, often with mutual friends like Richard Caring and Lilly Becker, wife of Boris Becker - and it's likely that the two women have known each other for much longer.
As recently as last May, the pair were photographed together at The Lady Garden Foundation Langan's Ladies Lunch, an event in support of gynaecological cancer charity The Lady Garden Foundation, which Tamara co-founded after she lost her mother to the disease.
Indeed, at last May's event, Fergie and Tamara appeared to be close friends, posing together in sixties-themed fancy dress.
Alongside the charity, Tamara co-owns The Little Black Gallery in London and works with high-end brands, including Gucci and Valentino. She is also a contributing editor at Hello! and has written for a number of glossy magazines.
She has a strong Instagram presence with well over 50,000 followers and posts frequently - though Fergie does not appear to feature on her page.
Yet, despite their history, Tamara will probably be aware that an ongoing, public friendship with Fergie could potentially tarnish her influential brand.
Mark Francis Vandelli
Mark-Francis Vandelli, one of the original cast members of reality show Made in Chelsea in 2011, appears to have maintained a friendship with Fergie over several years.
The 36-year-old son of Italian businessman Marzio Vandelli and socialite and former model Diane Casserley Vandelli, Mark-Francis reportedly lives in a Knightsbridge townhouse once occupied by Oscar Wilde.
According to his representatives, United Agents, he also owns a jewellery business in Paris that has collaborated with Chanel and Tom Ford.
Given his huge wealth, high-profile and excellent connections, it is unsurprising that Mark-Francis also attended the same intimate Christmas event as Fergie last year - the one which Shafira Huang documented on Instagram.
Yet, his association with the ex Duchess goes back further. In October 2019, Mark-Francis shared the stage with Fergie at the Lady Garden Foundation Gala held at London's Claridge's Hotel, a charity which battles gynaecological cancers.
Indeed, the former reality star's professional and charitable interests - he sits on the boards of several international charities and has hosted events with Christie's, amongst others - are not insignificant.
And, given his status as a society insider and investment in causes that not only matter to him but align with his well-honed brand, Mark-Francis will surely not risk the havoc that a continued friendship with Fergie could wreak in his beautiful world.
Heather Kerzner
Heather Kerzner, an American-born socialite, philanthropist and businesswoman who has reportedly been dating Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and activist Michael Bolton since 2013, is an old friend of Fergie's.
The ex-wife of the late billionaire casino and hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, Heather and Fergie have been friends since 2000, which was soon after she moved to London and became a fixture on the society and charity circuit.
Fergie even introduced Heather to PR company boss James Henderson, who had helped the ex Duchess after a newspaper ‘sting’ in which she offered to sell access to Prince Andrew in return for £500,000, with the pair later getting engaged (but never marrying).
The two friends have been pictured together, often arm-in-arm, multiple times after enjoying fancy dinners in London and at glitzy events to raise money for various charities.
Fergie even took the microphone at Heather's birthday party in 2016, held at Mayfair's Bellamy's, apparently delivering a tribute.
Heather has previously been heavily involved in Women's Aid while her partner Michael Bolton is also focused on advocating for women and children through his foundation, The Michael Bolton Foundations, which the performer founded in 1993.
Demi Moore
Demi Moore is apparently a longtime friend of Fergie's, according to PEOPLE magazine.
The Hollywood actress was one of the surprising guests at Princess Eugenie's 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The A-lister is rumoured to have formed a friendship with the bride's mother Sarah after the former royal apparently developed an interest in Kabbalah - an ancient practice usually reserved for Jewish scholars - which Demi practises.
They were first introduced to one another when Sharon Osbourne apparently got bother women - and their children - in to watch the X Factor in 2004.
Demi has even attended one of Princess Beatrice's birthday celebrations in the past, reported the American publication.
However, it's unlikely the actress is close enough to Fergie to offer to help the former royal with her 'own arrangements' in the wake of the Epstein scandals.
Demi has been enjoying a career resurgence thanks to her Oscar-nominated horror-satire film The Substance and has been named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in 2025.
will.i.am
No, not the heir to the throne, her nephew, but the rapper and coach on The Voice. As a member of The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am spent many years performing with a different Fergie – the American singing version.
Talking of his friendship with the royal, Will previously said: ‘Royal Fergie is my home girl.
'We do tea together all the time. She even came to my ghetto to mentor kids at a school. I love her, she’s the real Fergie.’
‘And her daughter Beatrice is the coolest, I love her eyes,' added the musician, who is also said to be friendly with the former royal's eldest daughter.
Will has even read some of Sarah’s poetry and explored the possibility of using her words in his music.
‘I want to do a project with Fergie. I want to do her poetry over my beats,’ he said during an interview in 2019 to promote The Voice. ‘Royal Fergie does poetry, right? Imagine her reciting poetry over my beats.’
A spokesperson for the former Duchess told The Mail on Sunday at the time: ‘Fergie is open to collaborating with Will.i.am. She has been writing poems.’