Sarah Ferguson finally made a public appearance in pictures published by The Sun on Thursday. The former Duchess of York was seen in a small Austrian village known for its local luxury ski resort.
The images marked the first time the 66-year-old had been seen in public since the Duchess of Kent's funeral, which was held in September. She had been previously seen at the christening of her granddaughter, Athena, in December, but her face was obscured in photos.
According to a report in the Mail, Sarah has been receiving support from friends who have the funds to support her in staying out of the public eye. She was described as "desperate" by a source and worried about "police and politicians" wanting her to testify about what she knew of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, with whom she remained friends, even after his conviction.
Austria holds a special place in Sarah's heart, as she stayed at the MAYRLIFE Clinic in the country after she was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. She stayed at the resort for two weeks.
In a message posted at the time, she thanked the clinic for their care, penning: "I am incredibly thankful to the medical teams that have supported me through both of these experiences with cancer and to the MAYRLIFE Clinic for taking gentle care of me in the past weeks, allowing me time for recuperation. I am resting with family at home now, feeling blessed to have their love and support."
The Mail also speculated that Sarah may have stayed in other places around Europe, including the likes of St Tropez in France or Sotogrande in Spain, both locations that she enjoyed visiting before the recent scandal.
© Getty ImagesHowever, Austria is far from the only European country where Sarah is believed to have been staying since she disappeared from the public eye over her friendship with the disgraced financier.
Where has Sarah been?
Sarah previously took refuge at the world-renowned £13,000-a-day Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland, arriving after Christmas and leaving at the end of January.
According to the clinic's website, they treat "addiction, burnout, depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges with a comprehensive blend of tailored, evidence-based therapies."
© UK Press via Getty ImagesBack in February, it was reported that she was staying at the Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa in Donegal, Ireland. The resort is a firm favourite of Sarah's, who has visited in the past. Sharing a TikTok video from the location previously, she said: "I find things get sometimes overwhelming, I just try and take myself off to the most beautiful, wonderful blast of fresh air."
Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa declined to comment when HELLO! reached out.
Amid reports that Sarah's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, weren't allowing their mother to stay with them, it was claimed that the mother-of-two had headed to the United States to stay with close friend Priscilla Presley.
Priscilla later claimed that it was "totally false" that the disgraced royal had been staying with her.
