Natalie Dormer, the actress playing Sarah Ferguson in an upcoming royal drama, was absent from a promotional interview alongside her fellow cast members.
The four-part series dramatises the true story of Jane Andrews, a former dresser and assistant to Ms Ferguson, who later went to prison for the murder of her boyfriend Thomas Cressman.
Mia McKenna-Bruce plays Ms Andrews, with Ed Speleers cast as Mr Cressman. Meanwhile, Ms Dormer is portraying Ms Ferguson.
Ms Dormer’s absence from the publicity trail follows comments she made in September 2025, when she said she would not promote The Lady after fresh reporting reignited scrutiny over Ms Ferguson’s past links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
In those remarks, Ms Dormer said that after completing the project, “new information has come to light that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my values with Sarah Ferguson’s behaviour, which I believe is inexcusable”, adding that she would not be “taking part in the promotion of the project”.
Coverage at the time referenced a leaked 2011 email in which the former duchess described Epstein as a “supreme friend”.
Ms Dormer also said she had donated her entire salary from the series to child-abuse charities.
While Ms Dormer has stepped back from interviews around the drama, the show’s leading actors have been discussing the project and their approach to the story.
Sarah Ferguson actress absent from promo for royal drama as co-stars speak out
|GETTY / ITV
Ms McKenna-Bruce told the Press Association: “When we first meet Jane, she's full of hope. She has this idealised vision of escaping the life she has and going to live in a palace.”
She added: “As a young girl, I had dreams like that too, that fairytale idea. So all of that feels very familiar.”
Ms McKenna-Bruce said she undertook dialect coaching as part of her preparation, as Ms Andrews’ accent shifts over time, and she built a timeline of events to help track where scenes sat in the wider story.
Mr Speleers described taking steps to understand the impact on those close to the victim, saying: “I had the opportunity to speak with some of Thomas's friends, as well as his brother.
LATEST ROYAL DEVELOPMENTS
Natalie Dormer plays Sarah Ferguson in the show
|ITV
“Of course, I approached that with some trepidation, but he was incredibly warm and open.”
He added: “I think that perspective has been expertly woven into the script.”
The actor also spoke about maintaining a focus on the story being told on screen, saying: “It was crucial to focus on our story, particularly Tommy's perspective and the dynamics at play.”
Ms McKenna-Bruce said the pair developed an easy working relationship during filming. “We'd play music, play chess, eat chocolate, just hang out,” she said.
Mia McKenna-Bruce as Jane Andrews
|ITV
“Getting to work with Ed and everyone on the job really was magic.”
Mr Speleers added: “I'm normally someone who's quite focused and tends to stay in one headspace while I'm working. I wouldn't say uptight, but very contained. But Mia, in particular, really freed me up.”
The Lady is expected to air in four parts in the UK, while the drama is also set for a later BritBox rollout in March 2026.
ITV has scheduled the drama to begin on Sunday, February 22 at 9pm on ITV1.