Sarah Ferguson calls for plans for royal revenge to be dropped

But critics at the time questioned the tone and portrayal of events, with some suggesting it leaned heavily towards self-justification.

An insider said: ‘Her first memoir came out at a time when royal tell-alls were incredibly in demand, and it successfully tapped into that public appetite for behind-the-scenes revelations. But even at the time, there was resistance to the way she chose to present her story and the way her experiences were framed.”

They added: “The concern now is that attempts to revisit the same themes in the current climate would create much greater controversy. The environment has changed and what was once seen as candid can now be viewed much more critically, and as Sarah trying to justify the indefensible.”

According to the source, Ferguson’s second memoir struck a more reflective tone but failed to repeat the same commercial success. They said: ‘Finding Sarah took a much more reflective, inward-looking approach and was closely linked to a key media moment at the time, which helped to draw attention to it. However, it did not connect with audiences in the same way as her earlier memoirs, either commercially or critically.”

The insider added: “That contrast is telling when you look at how a potential new book might perform. It suggests that simply returning to personal stories, even with a strong media platform behind them, doesn’t guarantee the same level of interest or success.”

The source suggested that any attempt to address the Epstein scandal in detail would be particularly fraught.

“There are some very complex and sensitive issues surrounding Sarah’s past relationships, and trying to fully address these within a commercial book format would be incredibly challenging,” they explained. To do it well would require a level of openness and detail that may ultimately not be in her best interests.

“That is precisely why the advice she is given is that there is ‘nothing to gain and everything to lose’ by pursuing this path. Even if the book were handled carefully, it could end up raising more questions than it answers, rather than providing the clarity she hoped for.”

The source also pointed to persistent criticism of Ferguson’s public statements over the years.

They added: ‘There have been instances where her public statements have not entirely matched information that subsequently emerged, and this has not gone unnoticed. Those discrepancies have contributed to ongoing questions about her credibility. Therefore, any new memoir would be extremely carefully scrutinized. Readers and critics alike would approach it with that history in mind, analyzing every detail through that same lens of skepticism.”

Although Ferguson has recently achieved success as a novelist, the insider suggested that a return to autobiography would carry reputational risks.

They added: “Her move into fiction has allowed her to reshape the way she is seen, allowing her to distance herself from personal controversies and establish herself in a more creative, less explored space.

“In many ways, it has helped her build a different kind of reputation. Returning to a deeply personal story, especially one tied to ongoing controversy, risks undoing much of that progress. It could pull her back into the cycle she has been trying to move past.”

There are also broader concerns about how such a project would be publicly received. Revisiting these issues in a commercial book could easily be seen as distasteful, especially if it gives the impression of taking advantage of a serious and sensitive situation.