Sarah Ferguson must never be allowed back into public life because of her disturbing links to Jeffrey Epstein, according to a woman who was once among her most prominent supporters.
Tonia Sargerson met Fergie in unusual circumstances before forming a near two decade long close friendship – only to cut all links when she learned of the extent of the former Duchess’s dealings with the paedophile financier.
And now she is furious about her one-time friend, saying her banishment from British public life must be lifelong.
The pair’s unlikely friendship sprang up when Fergie shot a documentary, The Duchess In Hull, 18 years ago and spent several days with Tonia and her family at their home on the rundown Preston Road estate in Hull, East Yorkshire.
Remarkably, the two women forged a lasting friendship and remained in regular contact ever after – until Tonia read the explosive revelations culled from the Epstein Files that were made public in December prompting Fergie to go into hiding.
Now the Daily Mail has learned that 64-year-old mother-of-five Tonia is ‘horrified and appalled’ after learning of Ferguson’s extensive contact with Epstein – which was ongoing during filming of the documentary.
And she believes there should never be any rehabilitation for Ferguson – despite recent reports that she hopes to set up talks with King Charles because she feels ‘abandoned’ by the Royal Family.
A source said: ‘Tonia doesn’t believe there should be a way back into public life for Sarah Ferguson.
Sarah Ferguson’s long-time friend Tonia Sargerson (right, with the ex-Duchess), 64, has let it be known she is so disgusted by what she has learned about Fergie from the Epstein Files that she never wants to see her again
The friendship began 18 years ago when Ferguson – who at that point still retained her title – took part in a fly-on-the-wall documentary (pictured), The Duchess In Hull. The two women formed a close bond
‘She betrayed the Royal Family, just as she betrayed everyone around her with her ongoing friendship with a known and convicted paedophile.’
Tonia has told friends she would never have had Ferguson in her home if she’d had any idea that she had such close links with a paedophile.
The documentary was shot in 2008, the same year that Epstein pleaded guilty and was sentenced by a Florida state court for procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
He had been under investigation since 2005 after a parent reported that he had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter. Investigators identified 36 girls between the ages of 14 and 17, who Epstein had sexually abused.
Despite full knowledge of the investigation and his conviction, Sarah Ferguson remained in close personal contact with Epstein.
A source said: ‘When the emails were released from the Epstein files it was clear that Sarah Ferguson had a close relationship with Epstein despite everything he’d done.
‘Tonia was horrified that someone she has considered a friend for all these years would continue a friendship with someone capable of what Epstein did.
‘It has made her feel sick that Sarah was in her house, around her young children, while at the same time being involved with a notorious paedophile.
‘Her association with Sarah Ferguson is over as far as she is concerned, she never wants to be associated with her again.’
Despite the gulf in social standing, Ferguson continued to send birthday cards to Tonia each year and they carried on a friendship that few could have predicted once the cameras stopped rolling.
The ITV programme was supposed to show the then Duchess, an ambassador for Weight Watchers, promoting a healthier lifestyle for Tonia, husband Mick and their five kids aged seven to 24.
Ferguson focused on improving the family’s diet on a strict weekly budget of £80 and visited a local school to promote her ‘Shape Up’ campaign.
The pair (pictured) had remained in contact ever since, sending emails and texts and meeting up when they could
Critics panned her ‘preachy’ attitude and said the programme was condescending to families struggling on low incomes.
At the end of the documentary the family said they felt Ferguson ‘couldn’t wait to get away from them’.
However to everyone’s surprise – including Tonia’s – Ferguson continued to remain in touch, sending cards and gifts for the family.
The two women were reunited in 2013 when Ferguson said: ‘Tonia will probably be a better friend to me than many of my friends in other walks of life because of her integrity and values.
‘Tonia and I always agreed it didn’t matter where we were in life – we shared mothering and friendship, which come from a place of complete equality.
‘I might have been lucky enough to marry a prince and I might not live on a council estate in Hull and have five kids, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have the same values.’
However the Sargerson family no longer believe they share any of Ferguson’s values and feel ‘betrayed’ that she was allowed to spend so much time in their home.
The source said: ‘It has upset Tonia to think that her children were one degree of separation from Epstein.’
Some of the emails between Epstein and Ferguson date from when he was still serving his sentence for soliciting sex from a minor, according to the documents released from the files.
He was released from prison on July 22, 2009, after serving 13 months of his 18-month sentence.
There are emails in the files from that June and earlier in the July from ‘Sarah’.
An email from August the following year reads: ‘I am feeling very traumatised and alone. I am wanting to work for you at organising your houses.’
Ms Sargerson has been ‘appalled and horrified’ by Ferguson’s (pictured) contact with Epstein – which was ongoing during filming of the documentary. According to friends, she would never have had Ferguson in her home if she had any idea of their involvement
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘It has made her [Ms Sargerson] feel sick that Sarah, who she sees as a paedophile sympathiser, was in her house, around her young children, while at the same time being involved with a notorious paedophile.’ Pictured: Epstein in an image released as part of the Epstein Files
The Sargerson family no longer believe they share any of Ferguson’s values and feel ‘betrayed’ that she was allowed to spend so much time in their home. Pictured: Ms Sargerson
The next month she appeared to ask ‘when are you going to employ me’, and the same day ‘phew.. you still love me’.
In another exchange in 2009, she joked with Epstein about another woman: ‘You can marry her too. She is single and a great body.’
Referring to her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Ferguson wrote later in 2010: ‘So you have not forgotten about me. I do know that my handsome Prince is a saint.. And you worship him, I do too. But then I did marry him. And still love him.’
Tonia, who still lives on the estate, declined to comment when she was approached by the Daily Mail.