EXCLUSIVE: Radar Reveals the One 'Petrifying' Reason Sarah Ferguson is Intent on Slithering Out of 'Inevitable' Move to Australia
Sarah Ferguson is said to be doing all she can to avoid Australia.
Jan. 11 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Sarah Ferguson is weighing whether to uproot her life as the fallout from her past associations tightens around her in Britain, but sources told RadarOnline.com one visceral fear may yet keep her from following family to Australia – snakes.
The former Duchess of York, 66, has endured a prolonged period of instability since she and her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, 65, were stripped of their royal roles and titles, with the former duke now preparing to relocate from their shared Royal Lodge home to a privately funded house on the Sandringham estate.
Ferguson has weighed leaving Britain as scrutiny over her past intensifies.
While Windsor's arrangements appear settled, Ferguson's future has remained unresolved amid renewed scrutiny over her and Windsor's links to Jeffrey Epstein.
The latest pressure follows the resurfacing of a 2011 email in which Ferguson referred to Epstein as a "supreme friend," contradicting earlier claims she had cut ties with the serial abuser.
Several charities have also dropped her as a patron, and invitations that once came easily have slowed to a trickle.
Australia Emerges as Escape Route With Sister Jane
Australia has emerged as a possible refuge when options at home narrow.
Against that backdrop, Australia has emerged as a serious option for her next move.
Ferguson's older sister, Jane Ferguson Luedecke, who lives there, recently traveled to Britain during what insiders describe as a particularly fragile period.
"Jane did not come over for a routine visit," one source claimed.
"She was deeply worried about how Sarah was coping and felt she had to be there in person. Some around them felt the timing was critical as Sarah was sliding into a very dark mood."
Another insider said Jane's presence was about "anchoring Sarah when so many familiar supports have sailed away."
A royal expert added: "Jane traveled over specifically to support Sarah during a very dark period and has raised the possibility that she could rebuild her life near her in Australia."
The expert said there was a belief Ferguson "might encounter a warmer reception there than in Britain right now."
Ferguson's Snake Chaos
Ferguson has hesitated over the move because of her deep fear of snakes, according to sources.
Yet sources said there is an unexpected obstacle. "Sarah has always liked the idea of Australia in theory," one friend said.
"But she has an almost primal fear of snakes, and that has become a real sticking point when talk turns to actually moving there. But the way her situation is now, with no money and no royal home, a shift to Australia with her sister could be inevitable."
Another insider put it more bluntly, saying: "The irony is that she wants to escape far away, but the thought of Australia's wildlife genuinely terrifies her – she finds it petrifying."
That fear is not new. In September 1987, Ferguson's aversion to snakes was captured dramatically during a charity event.
As a Burmese python was brought close to her, she recoiled in tears, saying, "I can't." Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, then her husband, told the handler: "My wife and I are not used to snakes."
Naturalist Jim Fowler, who bought the 12-foot python within 5 feet of Ferguson, said at the time: "You tend to be repulsed by those things that are not like us. Fear is usually the lack of knowledge."
A British Embassy spokesman confirmed at the time the then-duchess had "always been afraid of snakes."
'What Sarah Wants is Peace'
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Ferguson is said to feel torn between personal survival and staying close to her daughters.
Friends said the memory still looms large. "That incident is legendary among people who know her," one insider said. "When Australia comes up, the conversation inevitably turns to snakes, and Sarah shuts down."
The dilemma is sharpened by family ties. Ferguson remains close to her daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, and to her grandchildren.
"Sarah feels torn," another source said. "Her identity now is bound up with her daughters and grandchildren, and the idea of putting an ocean between them is genuinely painful."
Ferguson has previously described grandmotherhood as "precious, joyful, exciting," sentiments that now sit uneasily alongside a desire to escape a country where she feels diminished.
"Protecting her well-being has to come first," a palace aide said. "But that doesn't make the decision to leave her family any easier."
For now, Ferguson remains in Britain, weighing counsel from her sister and a narrowing inner circle. Whether she ultimately follows Jane to Australia or seeks a quieter existence closer to home, one source said the calculation has shifted.
"Status no longer matters," they said. "What Sarah wants is peace – but even the promise of refuge has to compete with a fear she's carried for decades."
