PR expert breaks down Sarah Ferguson's erosion in public

After an email leaked that showed Sarah Ferguson apologizing to Jeffrey Epstein and claiming she only distanced herself from him, in order to save her career, a PR expert has come forward to offer her two cents on what, she feels, the Duchess should do.

The expert in question is the founder of Sycamore Communications Hannah Viney.

In her chat with Express UK she said, “When a charity distances itself from you, the reputational damage is enormous.”

Because in doing so “it erodes credibility, trust and influence, and makes other organisations wary of association.”

Not to mention, “Many charities will naturally take a risk-averse stance, so even well-intentioned efforts to contribute will be met with hesitation.”

So “for any public figure trying to recover from controversy, I always believe honesty and transparency are key. A carefully worded written statement is not enough. A heartfelt video message, openly acknowledging past mistakes, showing genuine regret, and crucially outlining concrete steps being taken to make amends, is far more powerful.”

Because in this current climate in particular, Ms Viney said, “people want to see humanity, accountability and action, not a polished PR line.”

Only after this is done that another aspect comes out, which is that “patience is essential. Rebuilding trust takes time, and for the Duchess, that may mean several years of lying low and being highly selective about public appearances.”

That is why, before concluding the expert admitted, “if she does step out, it should only ever be in support of meaningful causes with real substance, not light-hearted, glitzy events that could undermine the authenticity of her efforts.”