Sarah Ferguson has reportedly been staying at the same chalet in the Austrian Alps for months, ending speculation about her whereabouts. Her retreat follows a prolonged absence from public life and renewed attention on the royal family.
Vienna: Sarah Ferguson has been staying quietly at the same chalet in Austria for months, according to People, amid speculation about where the former Duchess of York had been during her prolonged absence from public life.
The report said Ferguson has remained at a secluded property in the Austrian Alps throughout that period, countering suggestions that she had been moving between countries or staying with friends. Earlier reports had linked her to Ireland and Switzerland, while there was also speculation that she may have been visiting Priscilla Presley. However, it was reported that she had in fact stayed at the same alpine retreat the entire time.
Her low profile follows several months away from the spotlight. Ferguson was last seen publicly in December 2025 at the christening of her granddaughter, the daughter of Princess Beatrice, although she had not made an official appearance since September that year. Photographs published on April 16 were described as her first sighting in months and showed her in casual clothing outside the chalet.
A source told The Sun that the secluded Alpine location was well suited to keeping her away from public attention, calling it the perfect place for a high-profile figure to lie low.
Her stay in Austria comes after a difficult period for the royal family. Her former husband, Prince Andrew, has faced major controversy in recent months. The report also said both Ferguson and Andrew were required to leave their longtime home at Royal Lodge.
Earlier this year, Ferguson was believed to be weighing her future plans and living arrangements, including the possibility of moving to Windsor or spending time abroad. Her extended stay in Austria indicates that, for now, she has chosen to remain out of public view as interest in her whereabouts continues.
Background
Ferguson grew up in Dummer, Hampshire, and studied at the Queen’s Secretarial College. She later worked at public relations firms in London and for a publishing company. She began a relationship with Andrew in 1985, and the couple married on 23 July 1986 at Westminster Abbey, after which she became Duchess of York.
They have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Their marriage, separation in 1992 and divorce in 1996 drew extensive media attention. During and after her marriage, Ferguson was involved in several charities, mainly focused on cancer patients and children. She served as patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust from 1990 to 2025 and founded Children in Crisis and Sarah’s Trust.
She has also written books for children and adults and worked in television and film production. In the years after her divorce, she was involved in a number of scandals that affected her relationship with the royal family. The report said her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein led to the end of her roles as patron and spokesperson for several charities.
In October 2025, Ferguson stopped using the courtesy title Duchess of York after Andrew announced that he would no longer use his peerage titles. Ferguson, widely known as Fergie, once described her family as country gentry with a bit of old money
She is also a descendant of King Charles II of England through three of his illegitimate children: Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond; James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth; and Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex.