Sarah Ferguson Allegedly Using 'Burner Phones' To Evade US Lawmakers While Hiding In Austrian Alps

Sarah Ferguson is allegedly using secret 'burner phones' while keeping a low profile in the Austrian Alps, where the former Duchess of York has reportedly been staying for months as US lawmakers push for her testimony in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, according to a royal commentator.

The claim surfaced after Ferguson, 66, was photographed in Europe on 15 April, marking her first public sighting in seven months after a period in which her whereabouts were largely unclear. During that time, her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the ex-Duke of York, was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he shared confidential trade information with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender, remains at the centre of multiple investigations, and US politicians are now said to be looking to Ferguson as a potential witness.

Friends Step In As Sarah Ferguson Hides In Austrian Alps

Ferguson is reported to have taken refuge in the Austrian Alps, a discreet retreat long favoured by wealthy visitors and occasional royals, as she navigates the fallout from her own links to Epstein and Andrew's mounting legal troubles.

Royal commentator Helena Chard told Fox News that friends had effectively arranged Ferguson's stay in Europe, describing her as 'incognito' and 'anxious'.

'Incognito, anxious Fergie is keeping a low profile. She cannot believe how low she has sunk although, contrary to people's thoughts, she is not destitute. Friends have stepped in to whisk her away from her stress,' Chard said.

The suggestion is that those who once benefited from Ferguson's well known generosity are now quietly returning the favour. Chard said Ferguson is 'viewed as generous to a fault' and claimed those same friends are now helping her 'slip away from the press'.

Austria, she added, is well known as a haven for wealthy hosts willing to accommodate royals and former royals. It remains unclear who is paying for Ferguson's stay in the Alps, though Chard said 'the assumption is someone else is picking up the tab'.

Those claims have not been independently verified, and Ferguson's representatives have not publicly commented on who is funding her time abroad.

'Burner Phones' And Pressure From US Lawmakers

The most striking allegation centres on how Ferguson is communicating while in Austria. Chard claimed Ferguson 'may hope to evaporate like mist whilst juggling her alleged burner phones' as she weighs her next move.

The phrase 'burner phones' suggests disposable mobile phones used to avoid long term tracking or scrutiny.

There is no official confirmation that Ferguson is using burner phones. That detail comes solely from Chard's commentary and should therefore be treated cautiously. The claim nevertheless presents a picture of a woman under pressure, trying to stay ahead of legal and media scrutiny and potentially avoid unwanted attention from overseas investigators.

According to the same report, US lawmakers want Ferguson to give evidence relating to both Andrew and Epstein. Her presence in Austria, far from the UK and Washington, also creates more distance between her and any potential questioning in the United States.

'I fear she will now be under immense scrutiny,' Chard added. 'Fergie's reputation rehab is nowhere near on the cards. Keeping her distance during Andrew's legal heat and away from media pressure is completely tactical.'

Ferguson has spent years trying to rebuild her public image, moving from tabloid scandal figure to children's author, television personality and charity ambassador. Now, renewed questions over her proximity to Epstein, combined with Andrew's arrest, have dragged her back into a controversy she has long tried to escape.

Eviction From Royal Lodge And Andrew's New Life At Sandringham

In October 2025, Ferguson and Andrew were evicted from Royal Lodge, their long-time Windsor home, by King Charles.

The 30-room property had served as their shared base since 2008, despite their divorce in 1996. That unusual arrangement, a divorced couple continuing to share a grand royal residence, raised eyebrows for years but endured for nearly two decades.

Earlier this year, Andrew moved to a much smaller property on the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Reports have described it as a 'shack', a dramatic downgrade from Royal Lodge, and suggested the former Royal Navy officer finds the new accommodation 'claustrophobic'.

Taken together, the developments indicate that the once prominent royal couple now live largely out of sight: he in reduced circumstances under arrest and investigation, she reportedly in a mountain retreat abroad, relying on friends and facing reported pressure from US lawmakers.

Little about Ferguson's time in Austria has been officially confirmed by her representatives, beyond the fact that she is out of the UK and has remained mostly away from public view. Many of the specific claims, including the alleged burner phones, wealthy friends footing the bill and the suggestion she wants to 'evaporate like mist', stem from a single commentator's account and remain unverified.

Ferguson's stay in the Austrian Alps coincides with ongoing investigations linked to Jeffrey Epstein and continuing interest from US lawmakers in her potential role as a witness.