Sarah Ferguson takes refuge in a luxury Swiss clinic amid the Epstein scandal
In the eye of the hurricane for her links with Jeffrey Epstein, the Duchess of York has spent several weeks in Zurich, in one of the most expensive clinics in the world
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has taken refuge at the prestigious Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich after details emerged about her friendship with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. Ferguson, 66, has not appeared in public since the christening of her granddaughter Athenea, held on December 12 at St. James's Palace. According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, Ferguson was admitted to the luxury clinic for several weeks, with treatments valued at 15,000 euros per day, staying in a penthouse overlooking a lake and enjoying a private chauffeur and chef. Her escape from the UK coincides with the publication of an email from 2011 demonstrating that she had continued to maintain contact with Epstein once the tycoon had already been accused of having sexual relations with minors.
The Paracelsus Recovery is one of the most exclusive clinics in the world, specializing in treatments for anxiety, trauma, and mental health, with very expensive programs, multidisciplinary teams, and personalized attention. According to the British tabloid, Ferguson spent several weeks there to manage both the emotional impact and the media pressure to which she has been subjected following the publication of new details of the Epstein scandal.
According to the Daily Mail, Ferguson travelled to Switzerland just after Christmas and remained there until the end of January, coinciding with the publication of new documents by the US Department of Justice. After Switzerland, Ferguson reportedly spent a few days in the French Alps and the United Arab Emirates, where she has contacts and friends. What is not clear is how she has financed all these trips, given her poor financial situation, precisely one of the reasons why she sought the financier's protection. Some British media suggest that behind the trips there could be some kind of commercial agreement: she would have enjoyed a free or partially covered stay in exchange for promoting the center on social media and in interviews, but neither the clinic nor the Duchess have confirmed this.
As detailed by the Daily Mail, Ferguson was "absolutely devastated" after the dissemination of emails that exposed her relationship with Epstein, and she chose to seek refuge in an environment where she felt protected and accompanied. Six years after the financier's suicide, the Duchess has been removed from several charitable foundations, including Julia's House andPrevent Breast Cancer.