Natalie Dormer Ghosts ‘The Lady’ Promo After Explosive Leaked Apology Ties Sarah Ferguson to Epstein Scandal — What’s Really Going On Behind the Scenes?
Added on September 26, 2025 inTV News Cards
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So, what do you get when the stars align with a dose of royal controversy? Natalie Dormer, best known for diving deep into complicated characters, has just dropped a bombshell that’s shaking up her new ITV/BritBox series, The Lady. Playing Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, Dormer is now refusing to promote the show—why? Because a 2011 leaked email surfaced revealing Ferguson’s rather cozy apology to none other than Jeffrey Epstein, calling him “a supreme friend.” Yeah, that one. Talk about peeling back layers and discovering some cosmic drama even Mercury retrograde would envy! Dormer, clearly not one to mess around when it comes to integrity, has also donated her entire paycheck from the project to charities supporting survivors of child abuse. Now that’s taking a stand. Could this be one of those rare moments when a show stops being just entertainment and becomes a real-life statement? With Jane Andrews’ troubling story at the center of The Lady, this revelation casts a long shadow over the series — and Dormer’s personal values. So, can you reconcile art with controversial truth, or does the drama off-screen outweigh the role? The stars might have a few words about that… LEARN MORE
Natalie Dormer says she will not promote her new ITV/BritBox series The Lady after learning “new information” about “Sarah Ferguson’s behavior.” Dormer portrays Ferguson in the project.
Further, Dormer says she has donated her “entire salary” from the project to organizations supporting the victims of child abuse.
The information that “has come to light” (in Dormer’s words) is a leaked email from 2011 that shows Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, apologizing to Jeffrey Epstein and calling him “a supreme friend.” A spokesperson for Ferguson said the email was to stave off a threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation, according to the BBC.
The apology was for her having publicly bashed Epstein, who was sent to prison three years prior for soliciting a minor for prostitution, in an interview just a few weeks earlier.
In the interview, the duchess said her involvement with Epstein had been a “gigantic error of judgment,” adding: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children.”
Epstein died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial in New York for sex trafficking.
The Lady follows the story of Jane Andrews through to her conviction for murder in 2001; Andrews worked for Ferguson until 1997.
Dormer’s full statement, released on Friday, reads:
When I agreed to take the role in “The Lady”, I knew portraying the script’s Sarah Ferguson would require nuance. People are layered, their journeys are full of highs and lows, and as an actor, my job is to lean into those elements and bring them to life with honesty and empathy. Since completing the project, new information has come to light that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my values with Sarah Ferguson’s behavior, which I believe is inexcusable. For that reason, I will not be taking part in the promotion of the project.
In keeping with my commitment to the well-being of children, I have donated my entire salary from this project to the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) and the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (hosted by Barnardo’s).
My decision is not a reflection of my experience working with Left Bank Pictures. They are an extraordinary company to collaborate with and I’m grateful for the time we spent together.
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