10. Fergie’s ‘toe-sucking’ scandal
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson announced their split in March 1992. Five months later, the Duchess was embroiled in arguably the Royal family’s biggest ever scandal when compromising photographs with her ‘financial advisor’, taken at her holiday villa in St Tropez. The intimate pictures, shot with a telephoto lens as the couple lazed by the pool, show Texan millionaire John Bryan kissing and sucking the Duchess’ toes and the arch of her foot.
The scandal rocked the Royal Family at the time, but Mr Bryan broke his silence in 2022. He told the Mail: “I don’t want to be forever known as ‘Fergie’s Texan toe-sucking financial adviser’. For starters, I’m from New York.”
He went on: “The attraction was mutual – and instant. I loved her then and I adore her now. We were in a private villa with seven acres of land surrounding us to ensure our absolute privacy. The girls [Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie] were tiny, just four and two. We were out by the pool and I was practising swimming with the children.
“Yes, Sarah was topless, but this was the South of France for heaven’s sake. And we were in private – or so we thought. We’re with the kids, having a great time. We used to play fun games, make-believe games. On this day we were playing Cinderella and I said, ‘Look, let’s kiss Mummy’s toes’. It was part of the game. I did it first and then I think one of the girls, probably Beatrice, did it. It was totally innocent; a beautiful family moment of love.”
(Image: Getty)