SARAH Ferguson has befriended a mysterious Texan billionaire as she and Prince Andrew face eviction from Royal Lodge.
The Duchess of York, 63, has flown to the US to meet £6billion property magnate Trammell Crow Jr, 72.
Sarah Ferguson has befriended a mysterious Texan billionaire as she and Prince Andrew face eviction from Royal Lodge
The Duchess of York flew to the US to meet £6billion property magnate Trammell Crow Jr, 72
Fergie and Prince Andrew fear losing their £30million home in Windsor
Ponytailed Mr Crow inherited a fortune from his dad’s firm and Fergie also flew to his ranch near Austin, Texas, earlier this year.
The visits come as her ex-hubby Andrew — living with her once again — fears losing their £30million Royal Lodge home in Windsor.
The Duke has been offered the keys to nearby Frogmore Cottage after Harry and Meghan’s post-Coronation “Frogxit” eviction.
Andrew, 63, also fears having his £249,000-a-year grant slashed by brother King Charles next month.
A source said: “It’s not as if he and Fergie don’t have form for sparking up these friendships, and in the past there has always been something in it for them.
“So when Fergie started booking flights to Texas and putting multiple meetings in her diary with such a wealthy American, it sparked some interesting questions.
“Officially they’ve bonded over a shared interest in environmental issues, but it feels like a lot of discussions and a lot of air travel to solely discuss green matters.
“And it’s hard to imagine what the Duchess can offer to do for him.”
Fergie’s previous friendship with a Texan billionaire — John Bryan — saw him embarrassingly pictured sucking her toes while she reclined topless by a pool in St Tropez in 1992
Prince Andrew could be moved into Frogmore Cottage
Fergie’s previous friendship with a Texan billionaire — John Bryan — saw him embarrassingly pictured sucking her toes while she reclined topless by a pool in St Tropez in 1992.
She and Andrew were separated at the time.
Fergie has an increasing presence in the US.
She has been relaunching herself as an author via an American agent who is said to have helped her meet Mr Crow.
The Duchess of York is even in talks with Oscars organisers about handing out a gong at this month’s ceremony.
That has come about due to her connections to the Elvis Presley estate, which will be represented on the night.
A source added: “This is very much a rebranding effort over in the US — which isn’t somewhere that Andrew can very easily do business, but Sarah can.
“Appearing on stage at The Academy Awards is almost the ultimate way to signal you are back in with the establishment and highest celebrity circles.
“It would open a lot more doors for her.”
A spokesman for the Duchess confirmed the meetings with Mr Crow, insisting they were discussing his green initiative EarthX.
Andrew is trying to rebuild his reputation after his costly legal payout to sex accuser Virginia Giuffre.
He has always denied her claims that they had underage sex.
Andrew’s convicted paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in a New York cell in 2019.
Another friend, socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, is in jail for her part in trafficking women for Epstein and his cronies.
Andrew prompted questions over his financial arrangements after he and Fergie sold their Surrey mansion, a wedding present from the Queen, to billionaire Timur Kulibayev for £3million more than the asking price in 2010.
A source said of him and Fergie: “The simple truth is, they have always had an eye for wealth — wherever they can find it.
“They are dazzled by people who have access to large sums and seem to like to surround themselves with more money than they have themselves.
“There is an assumption that the royals must be super rich but that isn’t always the case.
“In Sarah and Andrew’s case their financial problems have become pretty well documented, and lately there have been a lot more expenses than ever before.
“Now that the Queen has passed away and can’t pick up the pieces they will clearly have to stand on their own feet more than ever.”
The pair recently paid almost £5million in cash for a house in Belgravia, central London, which they insisted was an investment for daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.
The pad has been renovated and remains empty, prompting talk that they may use it if necessary.
It has also emerged they cannot sell the house without their daughters’ permission.
Andrew is said to be resisting any move to Frogmore Cottage.
Charles has also removed his security team and closed his apartment and office in Buckingham Palace.
The Duke has told pals he is following the Sussexes’ new life in the US as a possible blueprint for himself.
Fergie, who admits she is only a guest at Royal Lodge despite living there for 15 years, will launch her book A Most Intriguing Lady in New York on Monday.
Yesterday she spoke to The Daily Telegraph about Andrew’s fall from grace.
She said: “You want to say, ‘Get up, come on, it’s fine!’
“You don’t want to see them hurting.
“It’s really sad to see what Andrew has been through.”
Trump donor so keen on green
MEGA-wealthy Trammell S Crow Jr has a track record of making unlikely alliances — after trying to turn the Trump administration green.
He inherited his fortune from property magnate Fred Trammell Crow, once known as America’s biggest landlord and a major Republican donor.
Property magnate Fred Trammell Crow was once known as America’s biggest landlord
Mr Crow Jr worked for the family firm for four decades and inherited his father’s politics, blended with environmentalism.
He once said: “I don’t have some interesting story of being with nature. My father told us kids we were stewards of the land, we didn’t really own it. We are only tenants on this planet.”
In 2011, Mr Crow Jr founded EarthX, a forum for people to look at environmental issues.
He donated to Trump’s presidential campaign, and in 2018 said he had been talking to Trump officials.
Speaking at his Texas ranch, also a bird sanctuary, he said then: “I’ve seen people here who are willing to listen and talk in a different way than in DC. I think we created a green cover.”
