Editing Sarah, Duchess of York (section)

===Cash for access===
In May 2010, Sarah was filmed by the ''[[News of the World]]'' offering [[Mazher Mahmood]], an undercover reporter posing as an Indian businessman, access to Prince Andrew for £500,000.<ref name="TimesX">{{Cite news|last=Gray|first=Sadie|date=23 May 2010|title=Duchess of York 'devastated' by tabloid sting|work=[[The Times]]|location=UK|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7134347.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531171225/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7134347.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 May 2010|access-date=23 May 2010}}</ref> On the video made as a documentary source for the story, which is publicly available, Sarah is heard to say, "£500,000 when you can, to me, open doors".<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 May 2010|title=Duchess of York 'wanted cash for Prince Andrew access'|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8699139.stm|access-date=23 May 2010}}</ref> She is seen taking away a briefcase containing £40,000 in cash. Exposure surrounding the incident increased Sarah's public profile and notoriety.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 May 2010|title=Ex-U.K. royal 'sorry' amid cash-for-access sting|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna37298950|access-date=21 November 2020|publisher=NBC News}}</ref>

[[Sterling Publishing|Sterling Publishers]] substantially increased the print run of ''Ashley Learns About Strangers'', Sarah's latest book for children; however, the notoriety did not translate into additional book sales.<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 May 2010|title=Duchess of York – Debt Swallowing Fergie?|url=http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerpop/article_272632084.shtml|access-date=3 June 2010|work=National Ledger}}</ref> In an interview with [[Oprah Winfrey]], titled ''Oprah and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York'', Sarah explained her behaviour by saying that she had been drinking prior to soliciting the cash, and was "in the gutter at that moment".<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 June 2010|title=Ferguson Drinking Admission – Fergie 'In the Gutter' on Video|url=http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerdc/article_272632105.shtml|access-date=3 June 2010|work=National Ledger}}</ref> She also claimed that her intention was initially to help a friend who "needed $38,000 (£28,000) urgently" but she ultimately asked for more money due to her own financial problems.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 June 2010|title='Out of control' Sarah Ferguson tells Oprah she needed money to help out friend|url=https://us.hellomagazine.com/royalty/201006023625/sarah-ferguson/oprah-winfrey/interview-friend/|access-date=11 May 2018|publisher=Hello!}}</ref>

In November 2016, it was reported that Sarah intended to sue [[News Group Newspapers]] (parent company of the ''News of the World'') and its owner [[Rupert Murdoch]] for £25&nbsp;million in damages citing her "loss in earnings" as well as the subsequent "distress" that the media sting brought to her as the main reasons.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Davies|first=Caroline|date=20 November 2016|title=Duchess of York seeks £25m damages over Mazher Mahmood sting|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/nov/20/duchess-of-york-damages-mazher-mahmood-sting|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref> In January 2018, it was reported that the actual amount Sarah was seeking was £45&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rawlinson|first=Kevin|date=21 January 2018|title=Sarah Ferguson claims £45m in damages from Murdoch's News Group|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/21/sarah-ferguson-claims-45m-in-damages-from-murdochs-news-group|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref>

In March 2022 it was reported that the wife of jailed Turkish politician [[İlhan İşbilen]] alleged that Sarah received at least £225,000 from businessman Selman Turk, whom Mrs İşbilen is suing for fraud.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prince Andrew took £1 million from Turkish 'fraudster' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/03/31/duke-york-took-1m-turkish-fraudster/ |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |first1=Hayley |last1=Dixon |first2=Robert |last2=Mendick |first3=Victoria |last3=Ward |date=31 March 2022 |access-date=1 April 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> An additional £25,000 was sent by Turk in October 2019 to the bank account of Sarah's younger daughter, Eugenie, the second instalment of which was referenced "birthday gift", reportedly "to pay for a surprise birthday party for the Duchess".<ref name="Telegraph-Turk">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/04/01/princess-beatrice-eugenie-prince-andrew-fraud-money-news/|title=Exclusive: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie received money from Turkish 'fraudster' linked to Prince Andrew|work=The Telegraph|first1=Hayley|last1=Dixon|first2=Victoria|last2=Ward|first3=Robert|last3=Mendick|date=1 April 2022|accessdate=3 April 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Sarah was owed £225,000 by Pegasus Group Holdings for her role as brand ambassador, but she received the full amount from Turk, who was then set to reclaim the money from Pegasus.<ref name="Telegraph-Turk"/>