Sarah Ferguson Moves to Protect Royal Reputation Amid Corgi Cloning Scandal
The royal family’s latest scandal is straight out of a sci-fi story.
Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, has been scrambling to salvage her reputation amid rumors that she considered starring in a reality show about cloning Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved corgis, Muick and Sandy.
Sarah Ferguson reportedly involved in ‘bold and controversial business venture’
According to a report in The Daily Mail, Ferguson was set to star in the series, which would have focused on cloning the iconic dogs. The goal? Selling replicas of the pups to eager consumers.
The “bold and controversial business venture … would have involved the former Duchess of York trying to make money by selling the genetically replicated corgis ‘to other dog lovers around the world,'” the tabloid claimed.
Ferguson and her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have been caring for the Queen’s corgis since the monarch’s death in 2022.
Former Duchess of York denies dog cloning reports
Unsurprisingly, the bizarre headline about cloned corgis sparked controversy and outrage. It also prompted a rare public denial from Ferguson. While she’s remained silent and out of the public eye amid her and Andrew’s various scandals stemming from their ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, she did issue a statement pushing back against the cloning claims.
“Ms. Ferguson regularly receives varied TV offers and proposals – often for reality shows which she always declines,” a representative for Ferguson told People. “To be absolutely clear, she declined the proposal … regarding a reality TV show involving the late Queen’s corgis.”
“She received the proposal following some initial conversations with Halcyon media to discuss a potential programme on dogs generally,” the statement continued. However, “conversations ended following her declining the opportunity suggested.”
Even if Ferguson had moved forward with the proposed reality show, it would have faced serious hurdles. Cloning dogs for commercial purposes is currently illegal in the U.K.
Disgraced royal may not recover from latest scandal
Ferguson’s strong public denial comes as she fights to maintain her increasingly tenuous place within the royal family. Her ex-husband – with whom she remains close – has been stripped of his royal titles. He’s also under investigation for misuse of public funds. Her daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, are being excluded from high-profile events like the Royal Ascot. And she’s under fire because of recently surfaced emails showing that her relationship with Epstein was closer and lasted longer than she previously claimed.
Fergie’s past actions also made it easier for many to believe the rumors about the dog-cloning reality show. She’s been open about her money troubles in the past, doing everything from writing children’s books to acting as a spokesperson for Weight Watchers to pay the bills. In 2010, she was caught offering to share secrets about Andrew to a tabloid in exchange for $500,000. And emails between her and Epstein confirm that the disgraced financier was helping the former duchess financially. It’s the latter scandal that might prove to be her final undoing, some say.
“She always thinks she can bounce back,” one of her friends recently told People. “But this isn’t something that can blow over.”
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