Cash-strapped Sarah Ferguson was involved in talks to clone the late Queen’s beloved corgis for an extraordinary reality TV show, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Described by Hollywood producers as a ‘bold and controversial business venture’, the tasteless idea would have involved the former Duchess of York trying to make money by selling the genetically replicated corgis ‘to other dog lovers around the world’.
Pet cloning is highly contentious, with experts warning it can produce horrible abnormalities.
But it can be lucrative, with cloned dogs typically selling for up to £75,000 in the US, where the process is legal.
In May 2023, Fergie was seeking ways to leverage what little remained of her royal status, when the idea of monetising the corgis, Muick and Sandy, was floated. She was entrusted with their care following the Queen’s death eight months earlier.
After speaking to a number of TV companies in the US she met executives from Halcyon Studios in Los Angeles for a series of lunches and dinners.
‘She was pushing to get back into TV and make some money,’ said a source. ‘She came up with the idea of featuring the Queen’s corgis in a show. And that included the idea of breeding them. Bizarre as it sounds, the idea of cloning them was discussed.’
While it is not legal in the UK for a company to produce replica animals, other than in research settings, it is legal to send a skin sample from an animal to the US for cloning.
Sarah Ferguson was seeking ways to leverage what little remained of her royal status, when the idea of monetising the Queen’s corgis was floated in May 2023
The late Queen pictured with her beloved corgis in 1980. The Queen bequeathed two corgis to Ms Ferguson in her will
The source, who was close to the negotiations, added: ‘There were Zoom meetings with the TV people and email exchanges. At one point she wanted to get what she called her “team” involved.
‘Sarah seemed to be up for anything provided she was paid – and particularly if she could do some travelling in the process and meet rich aristos who might like to own a corgi.’ In the event, the project was abandoned.
On Saturday night, royal author Richard Fitzwilliams said that to even ‘consider cloning the late Queen’s beloved dogs for financial gain is unbelievably grotesque and utterly bizarre’.
After talking to Ms Ferguson, the producers came up with a synopsis detailing how the reality cloning show would unfold.
It read: ‘When Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is bequeathed two of the Queen’s beloved corgis, she decides to embark on a bold and controversial business venture – cloning the royal pups.
‘But as she navigates the complex world of genetics and royal protocol, Sarah must also grapple with her own personal demons and strained relationship with the royal family.’
It adds that Fergie’s income has been ‘dramatically impacted’ by King Charles’s decision to slash Andrew’s allowance after the Queen’s death.
‘Fergie was thrilled to learn that she had been remembered in the Queen’s will, but surprised to learn that rather than jewellery or money, the Queen left her two of her beloved Corgis.
Fergie’s income was ‘dramatically impacted’ by King Charles’s decision to slash Andrew’s allowance after the Queen’s death
‘At 63, Fergie finds herself like so many other people facing a dramatic change in economic outlook later in life – needing to make money!’ Then it mentions the cloning idea.
Cloning involves taking DNA from adult cells and inserting it into an egg that has had its own genetic material removed. The embryo is then grown in a surrogate, producing a dog genetically identical to the original.
It typically takes a number of failed attempts before yielding a healthy animal, meaning that several abnormal puppies may have been created in the process.
The synopsis sets out how Fergie would create a company to clone the animals and sell them. It says: ‘With the help of a team of scientists and investors, Fergie sets up a company called The Queen’s Corgis, which aims to clone the Queen’s corgis and sell them to other dog lovers around the world.
‘But as she dives deeper into the world of genetics and cloning, Fergie realises that her business venture is not without controversy… As the series unfolds, viewers will be taken on a journey through the fascinating world of genetics and cloning, as well as the inner workings of the royal family.
‘They will witness the highs and lows of Fergie’s business venture, and see how her determination and resilience are put to the test.
‘But ultimately, they will be left with a sense of hope and wonder, as they witness the incredible bond between humans and animals, and the enduring legacy of the Queen’s beloved corgis.’
In a separate synopsis for an alternative documentary series, producers outlined how Fergie would immerse herself ‘in the world of high-society dog breeding’ and embrace her new role ‘as a champion for the corgis’.
The prospect of cloning the dogs was discussed just months after Muick and Sandy –who Andrew had given to his mother in 2021 to help her cope when Prince Philip was in hospital – were led out at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral procession.
In April 2023, Fergie confessed she had sought the help of a ‘dog whisperer’ after becoming concerned over the ‘grieving’ corgis.
Then, on the first anniversary of the Queen’s death, Ms Ferguson posted a photo of herself with the dogs on social media beneath the caption: ‘As we mourn a year on, we also celebrate the wonderful times we shared with Her Late Majesty the Queen.
‘She entrusted me with the care of her corgis Sandy and Muickand I am delighted to say that they are thriving.’
Last month, the dogs were spotted being taken for a walk on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk where Andrew now lives in exile following his eviction from Royal Lodge, Windsor, because of the Epstein scandal.
Ms Ferguson’s whereabouts are unknown. She went into hiding after her own close friendship with the convicted paedophile was exposed, and is now under pressure to give evidence in the US.
This newspaper revealed that Ms Ferguson repeatedly begged Epstein to employ her as his house assistant because she ‘desperately’ needed the money.
Humiliating emails buried in the Epstein Files show she pleaded for a job on multiple occasions, despite the fact the financier was still under house arrest in Florida following his conviction for procuring a child for prostitution.
In one email, sent in May 2010, Ms Ferguson said: ‘But why I don’t understand, don’t you just get me to be your House Assistant. I am the most capable and desperately need the money. Please Jeffrey think about it.’
A source said Ms Ferguson’s ‘pleading’ emails annoyed Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell – now serving 20 years on child sex trafficking charges – who looked after his properties in New York, Paris and Palm Beach, plus his Caribbean island and ranch in New Mexico.
The source said: ‘Ghislaine was fully aware of Sarah’s emails to Jeffrey because Jeffrey toldher. It annoyed the hell out of her. She never had much respect for Sarah.
‘At one point Sarah was begging Jeffrey to marry her. It was a bit desperate and pathetic.’
On Saturday night a spokesman for Ms Ferguson said: ‘Sarah Ferguson never progressed any discussions with Halcyon Studios, which were engineered by others, and withdrew from them of her own accord.
‘She listens to TV proposals all the time but that doesn’t mean she is going to go through with them. If she had briefly seemed enthusiastic, that is just who Sarah is. Sarah never had any intention of monetising the corgis.
‘She had been looking at doing a TV show about dogs for many years, long before she had the corgis and long before she was introduced to Halcyon Studios.
‘She owns other types of dogs also. Any resulting show would never have been about the corgis alone.’
