Sarah Ferguson’s ex-boyfriend, John Bryan, reveals he gave Prince Andrew advice over Epstein scandal

The US financier who became notorious after he was papped sucking Sarah Ferguson’s toes has revealed how he helped Prince Andrew.

The Texan millionaire photographed through a telephoto lens kissing and sucking the toes of Sarah Ferguson in compromising images that led to her being driven out of the royal family has said the pictures were “beautiful” and the couple were “deeply in love” at the time.

Setting the record straight, financial adviser John Bryan said his only regret about his St Tropez poolside frolics with the Duchess of York, who had not long separated from husband Prince Andrew, was not knowing how to handle the frenzied media reaction to the scandal.

“The editor of The Sun called me about them and said they had lost the bidding war for the pictures, I looked at them … and my first thought was ‘They’re beautiful,’” he said.

Financial adviser John Bryan has said he and Sarah Ferguson were in a relationship for five years. Picture: Shutterstock

“I don’t think I have any regrets except, I guess, I wish I had been a little bit more experienced in the media at the time. I was quite stand-alone.

“It’s a very, very difficult thing to suddenly run into the media buzzsaw.

“I would have loved to have had a little more guidance in that.

“The system in the royal family is not very unified and the family unity needs to be a little bit more improved so that when crises like these happen, people can find that they’re advised and things are a little bit more informative.”

The infamous “toe-sucking” incident. Picture: The Sun

Speaking from his LA home on British breakfast show Lorraine, the businessman who is battling cancer said he attempted to block the paparazzi pictures from being published at the time and could have succeeded with the support from the palace.

Thirty years after the compromising pictures of the topless royal were published and the Palace ordered her to leave the next morning with her children Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and their nanny to stay in Edinburgh, Mr Bryan revealed they had dated for five years and today still share a special bond.

Sarah Ferguson's ex-boyfriend John Bryan said he was still close to the Duchess of York. Picture: ITV

“The attraction was mutual,” he grins. “I loved her deeply then and I adore her now.”

The notorious photographs were taken in August 1992 at a secluded private villa in the South of France, which caused a global scandal.

In one image, two-year-old Princess Eugenie watched on as Mr Bryan kissed her mother on the lips.

Never before had a royal been seen in this light.

Mr Bryan, a multi-millionaire businessman, had met Ferguson through mutual friends in London where he cut a figure as a dashing man about town.

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew have remained close since their divorce, and even still share a home on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Picture: Getty Images

They had been dating for several months and were on holiday with the Duchesses’ children when a paparazzi photographer had crawled through undergrowth surrounding the villa and captured the intimate moment with a long lens.

The subsequent photographs prompted a global bidding war with UK rights being acquired by a national newspaper for a reported £8 million ($A14 million.).

At 67, Mr Bryan still cuts a suave figure which captivated a Duchess and dresses in designer suits and casual clothes.

It was a fairytale marriage until it wasn’t. Picture: Getty Images

The Duchess said at the time she was lonely and when she married Prince Andrew and “got the palace, not the man”.

After four years of separation, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew officially announced their decision to divorce in May 1996.

Today Mr Bryan and the Duchess remain in contact. He says he has given Prince Andrew honest advice after the prince’s Newsnight interview about his links to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Yorks with their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Picture: Supplied

The financial adviser said he was “stunned” to be invited for a meeting about restoring the Duke’s reputation and finances, after the Epstein scandal.

“The two of them are exemplary in terms of how they conducted themselves, getting divorced and post divorce. They really did the very best for their children,” he said.

“Regarding Epstein, it was so difficult for him. He was feeling very unfairly treated. My decision was that I really wanted to do a lot of homework to make sure I didn’t miss anything. He just messaged me. So I did a lot of due diligence and came to the conclusion that I felt that Andrew had been unfairly treated as well in this whole process.

Sarah Ferguson was a “breath of fresh air” for the royal family. Picture: Getty Images

“When he was given the opportunity in the interview and afterwards, to apologise or to express his sympathy with Epstein’s victims, he didn’t do it.
“My whole opinion was victims come first, and those victims are first now. First, then what they went through.

He also revealed he remains in contact with Ferguson.

“Sarah and I have always continued to talk to each other and I think that’ll continue.”

Originally published as Sarah Ferguson’s ex-boyfriend, John Bryan, reveals he gave Prince Andrew advice over Epstein scandal