Britain's Duchess of York has been forced to issue an apology over an embarrassing newspaper sting in which she accepted money for access to her former husband.
Sarah Ferguson collected an award in the US for her charitable work last night, hours after admitting a “serious lapse in judgment” over the affair.
The News of the World filmed her promising to introduce an undercover reporter posing as a wealthy businessman to Prince Andrew, who has been the UK's special representative for international trade and investment since 2001.
In a statement issued last night, the Duchess said her financial situation was “no excuse for a serious lapse in judgment” after being filmed offering to sell access to her ex-husband for £500,000 (€580,000).
“I can confirm that the Duke of York was not aware or involved in any of the discussions that occurred,” she added.
In a video on the News of the World website. she is shown telling the reporter: "£500,000 when you can, to me, open doors."
Asked if she was referring to Andrew, she said “Yeah”, then shook hands with the reporter before apparently accepting a $40,000 cash down-payment.
The duchess is shown sitting in front of a table with a large amount of cash laid out on it.
She was filmed apparently telling the reporter how to transfer £500,000 to her bank account, saying: “Then that, is then like, then you open up all the channels whatever you need, whatever you want, and then that’s what and then you meet Andrew and that’s fine. And that’s, that’s when you really open up whatever you want.”
The duchess was filmed explaining how the prince meets “the most amazing people” in his role as special representative, but insisted he “is completely whiter than white”.
In a separate statement last night, a spokesman for Buckingham Palace said Andrew “categorically” denied having any knowledge of the meeting between his ex-wife and the undercover reporter.
Money troubles have dogged the duchess since her divorce from the prince in 1996 and have gathered pace recently. It emerged last month that she was facing legal action from a leading law firm over an unpaid bill thought to be as much as €110,000.