Sarah Ferguson's effort to revive Hollywood interest in her 2021 novel Heart for a Compass is unfolding alongside renewed scrutiny over her past correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein and the arrest of Andrew Windsor, intensifying pressure on the former duchess as reputational and commercial interests converge.
According to a Feb. 24 report by RadarOnline, Ferguson was contacting entertainment executives in New York and Los Angeles to promote a screen adaptation of her historical novel even as Department of Justice files released on Jan. 30 revived questions about her communications with Epstein. The outlet claims she has privately maintained she was "misled" in her dealings with the financier, while placing responsibility on Windsor for the broader fallout. No verified response from representatives for Ferguson or Windsor addressing those allegations has been made public.
The timing has drawn attention in media circles because Ferguson's renewed pitch reportedly came as Epstein-related emails reentered public debate. RadarOnline characterized the push as a "last Hail Mary in Hollywood," a framing that suggests urgency but remains unconfirmed beyond the outlet's sourcing.
Industry hesitation appears to predate the latest controversy. One contact quoted by Page Six described the proposed adaptation as "a cross between Bridgerton and The Crown," while also noting the project had been "rewritten and repitched" without securing a buyer. RadarOnline reported that NBC, HBO and Netflix had previously declined the project during earlier rounds of discussions.
The reputational strain is compounded by email excerpts included in recent document releases. RadarOnline reported that a message allegedly from Ferguson told Epstein, "You are a genius," praising an idea for a children's charity while he was serving a sentence in Florida for solicitation and procuring a minor for prostitution. Another purported 2010 message reportedly read: "You are a legend. I really don't have the words to describe my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness... Just marry me."
Additional correspondence described in the report suggests Ferguson wrote, "I can organise anything," in reference to potential VIP access to British royal sites for the daughter of Epstein's lawyer Alan Dershowitz. There is no indication any such access occurred.
RadarOnline further reported that Epstein sought a statement asserting he was "not a pedo" and that Ferguson had been "duped." The outlet said that after Ferguson told the Evening Standard she had "deep regret" regarding their association, Epstein asked publicist Mike Sitrick to draft language he hoped she would issue. It also reported that someone identified as "Sarah" wrote she had not and would not call him a "P," linking that position to protecting her "own brand."
The scrutiny intensified after Andrew Windsor was arrested on Feb. 19 by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The report states investigators believe he passed confidential government information to Epstein while serving as a U.K. trade envoy between 2010 and 2011. Police searches were conducted at two properties, and he was later released under investigation.
Windsor lost his royal titles and honors in October 2025 following renewed claims tied to Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir Nobody's Girl. In combination with the continuing release of DOJ materials, the episode places Ferguson's reported Hollywood outreach against a backdrop of expanding legal and political fallout.
