Natalie Dormer Refuses to Promote ‘The Lady’ TV Series After Epstein Controversy

Natalie Dormer has announced she will not promote the upcoming ITV and BritBox drama The Lady, in which she plays Sarah Ferguson, following revelations about the Duchess of York’s connection to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The actress has also revealed she has donated her entire salary from the project to charities supporting victims of child abuse.

The controversy stems from a leaked email from 2011, which appears to show Ferguson apologizing to Epstein, years after publicly distancing herself from him. In the email, she wrote, “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family,” and added she “humbly apologized” to him while acknowledging he felt let down.

Ferguson had previously called her association with Epstein, including borrowing money from him, a “gigantic error of judgement” and said she would have “nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again,” according to reports from the BBC.

The Lady, produced by Left Bank Pictures, is a four-part series that mixes fact and fiction. It tells the story of Jane Andrews, a former royal dresser for Ferguson who was convicted of murdering her boyfriend in 2001.

Mia McKenna-Bruce stars as Andrews, while Ed Speleers plays her boyfriend. The series was filmed earlier this year and is expected to release in late 2025 or early 2026.

Dormer told Variety, “When I agreed to take the role in ‘The Lady,’ I knew portraying the script’s Sarah Ferguson would require nuance. People are layered, their journeys are full of highs and lows, and as an actor, my job is to lean into those elements and bring them to life with honesty and empathy.”

“Since completing the project, new information has come to light that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my values with Sarah Ferguson’s behavior, which I believe is inexcusable. For that reason, I will not be taking part in the promotion of the project.”

She added, “In keeping with my commitment to the well-being of children, I have donated my entire salary from this project to the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (hosted by Barnardo’s).”

Dormer also clarified that her decision is “not a reflection” on her experience working with Left Bank, calling the production company “an extraordinary company to collaborate with.”

Following the Epstein revelations, Ferguson has lost support from several charities where she held patron or ambassador roles, including the Teenage Cancer Trust, the Children’s Literacy Charity, and the British Heart Foundation.

A spokesperson for the duchess told the BBC that the email was written under advice to respond to Epstein’s threat of a defamation lawsuit and that Ferguson still regrets her association with him.

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