An author's allegation that Sarah, Duchess of York, had a secret "friends with benefits" relationship with music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs in the early 2000s has been strongly denied by sources close to the former royal and by Combs' representative, while the author says he stands by his reporting.
The Mirror reported that in his new book, "Entitled", British royal historian Andrew Lownie writes that the two, who he says first met at a 2002 New York party hosted by Ghislaine Maxwell, carried on a liaison that lasted until about 2004. Lownie says he based the claim on interviews with former employees of Combs and associates of Ferguson.
A representative for Combs, Juda Engelmayer, called the allegation utterly ridiculous gossip, telling sources that, "There are so many important and monumental events happening today; this utterly ridiculous gossip isn't one of them."
Sources close to the duchess told The Telegraph the claim is absolute fabricated nonsense, blatantly untrue and yet another false allegation from him, according to published accounts.
Lownie has not retracted the passage and said the account is "fully sourced" with former employees of both Combs and Ferguson, according to the Sunday Times.
The claims surfaced amid renewed public attention on Combs, 56, following his 2025 federal trial. Combs was convicted on two prostitution-related charges and acquitted on other counts, including sex trafficking and racketeering.
He is serving a 40-month sentence; his legal team has said it will appeal and has asked for a reduced sentence, raising concerns about the application of the Mann Act. Civil lawsuits against Combs remain pending.
The Mirror US reported that a former Bad Boy Records employee said Combs once boasted about slamming the duchess and made allegedly predatory comments about her daughters.
The same source also reported an account that the pair stayed in luxury hotels during the alleged liaison. There is no allegation in public court records that Combs directed any sexual misconduct at Ferguson or her daughters.
Ferguson, 66, is the former wife of Prince Andrew. She has faced scrutiny in recent years over past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, including emails released by U.S. authorities that referenced Epstein after his 2008 conviction.
Combs' legal team and representatives for Ferguson did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment late Sunday. Lownie said he would not retract the passages in his book.
The dispute highlights the challenge of reporting on the private lives of public figures and comes as both parties face intense media scrutiny over separate legal and personal controversies.
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