French socialite shares 'outrage' after 'penniless' Sarah Ferguson buys £5M home

Isabelle de Rouvre, who is in a financial dispute with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson over their Swiss ski chalet, expressed her anger upon learning that the duchess splurged millions on a new London home despite still owing her money.

The socialite sold the plush ski resort in Verbier to the royal couple for £18 million in 2014. They reportedly still owe her £6.8 million, but because she was led to believe that they were having money problems, she agreed to accept just £3.4 million.

However, much to her surprise and outrage, she learned that Sarah Ferguson bought a £5 million house in Mayfair. She called the news about the purchase "incredible and unbelievable" because she believed that the duchess "didn't have a penny."

"I was forced to get lawyers involved and I settled for about half the amount," she told The Sunday Times.

De Rouvre revealed that one of the reasons she had not pursued the full payment was because of Prince Andrew's sexual abuse case against Virginia Roberts Giuffre. She had thought that he would not be able to settle the case out of court and end up in jail. On the contrary, the Duke of York escaped a trial by jury when he paid his accuser. He allegedly paid Giuffre around £3 million.

She said, "I understood they didn't have the money and believed he would be going to prison in America so I thought it best to get what I could."

As for Sarah Ferguson, De Rouvre said, "I am outraged that I am now told she has spent millions on another property. It is just incredible and the whole story unbelievable. It is a dirty story as far as I am concerned. I thought they didn't have a penny."

However, a spokesperson for Prince Andrew said that he has no involvement with his ex-wife's purchase of the Mayfair home. Sources also claimed that the Duke and Duchess of York have no plans to leave Royal Lodge, their home in Windsor. The posh London house is said to be an investment for daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. It is believed that Sarah Ferguson bought the property from the Duke of Westminster.