Sarah Ferguson has been pulled into a widening controversy surrounding Sean Combs after royal biographer Andrew Lownie alleged the pair were involved in a years-long "friends with benefits" relationship during the 2000s, a claim strongly denied by those close to the former Duchess of York.
The allegations, repeated this week during an appearance on "The Megyn Kelly Show," arrive as Combs faces mounting legal and reputational pressure in the United States tied to multiple lawsuits and accusations against the music mogul. Ferguson's associates have dismissed the story as "fabricated nonsense," while representatives for Combs have also denied the claims outlined in Lownie's recently released book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.
The dispute has now expanded beyond tabloid speculation into a broader public battle over sourcing, credibility and the blurred line between royal biography and unverified gossip.
Speaking with host Megyn Kelly, Lownie claimed Ferguson and Combs developed what he described as "a friends with benefits relationship that went on for many years." He linked the alleged relationship to a series of encounters at celebrity events and parties attended by high-profile figures connected to both the entertainment world and the British royal family.
Lownie initially stated in his reporting that Ferguson first met Combs at a 2002 gathering hosted by Ghislaine Maxwell, longtime associate of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. During the interview, however, he revised that timeline after photographs reportedly surfaced showing Ferguson attending Combs' birthday celebration in 1998.
"I thought they met in 2002, but in fact it just now emerged of her at his birthday party in 1998," Lownie told Kelly.
The biographer argued that multiple public photographs support his claim that the relationship between Ferguson and Combs extended beyond casual acquaintance. "There's plenty of photographic evidence of them meeting on numerous occasions," he said, before insisting, "My source is strong, I'm standing up by it."
Ferguson's camp has forcefully rejected the allegations. A source close to the Duchess told The Sun earlier this month that the claims were "fabricated nonsense," and no evidence has emerged publicly confirming the alleged relationship. Ferguson herself has previously stated she met Combs only twice.
Combs' representatives have similarly denied the accusations contained in Lownie's book. None of the allegations regarding a sexual relationship have been tested in court, and Lownie has not publicly released documents, recordings or named witnesses supporting his account.
Still, the controversy has generated renewed scrutiny of Ferguson's personal life and longstanding ties to wealthy and high-profile figures. In both his book and television appearances, Lownie portrays the Duchess as someone repeatedly drawn toward celebrity culture and powerful men following her separation from Prince Andrew.
"She liked bad boys, and there's a whole history of getting involved with men who were very unsuitable," Lownie told Kelly. He also claimed Ferguson admired several wealthy public figures, including Tiger Woods, Kevin Costner and John F. Kennedy Jr..
Lownie further alleged that Combs sought connections with members of the British royal family during the height of his celebrity influence. One of the photographs cited in reporting surrounding the book shows Combs posing with Prince William, Prince Harry and rapper Kanye West during the 2007 Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium.
Inside Entitled, Lownie claims the alleged relationship between Ferguson and Combs became sexual around 2004. He also alleges Combs privately boasted about sleeping with Ferguson and made remarks involving Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Those claims remain entirely unverified outside the author's unnamed sourcing and have not been independently corroborated.
The timing of the allegations has intensified attention around the story because Combs remains embroiled in multiple civil lawsuits and federal scrutiny in the United States. The music executive has denied wrongdoing in connection with the accusations against him, but his public standing has sharply deteriorated over the past year as legal pressure mounted.
When pressed by The Times earlier this month about whether he intended to soften or retract any of his reporting, Lownie remained defiant.
"It's fully sourced with former employees of P. Diddy and Sarah Ferguson," he said, adding that he "stands by" the book in its entirety.
