Natalie Dormer Won’t Promote ‘The Lady’ After Leaked Sarah Ferguson Apology to Jeffrey Epstein

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 disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and calling him “a supreme friend.” A spokesperson for Ferguson says the email was to stave off a threat Epstein had made about suing her for defamation, according to the BBC.

In the email, Ferguson apologized for publicly bashing Epstein, who was sent to prison three years prior for soliciting a minor for prostitution, in an interview. In the 2011 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 on sex trafficking charges.

Ferguson’s ex-husband Prince Andrew and Epstein were friends. Court filings in 2014 alleged Prince Andrew engaged in sexual activities with a minor on Epstein’s property, which Prince Andrew has denied. Prince Andrew was never criminally charged; he settled a civil suit with an accuser, but did not admit fault.

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 theNational Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC)and theCentre 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.