Sarah, Duchess of York the Duchess would no longer carry out public engagements on behalf of the Queen. Furthermore, the Queen announced in a statement that she would not take responsibility for Sarah's debts. In August 1992, surreptitiously taken photographs of the Duchess sunbathing topless with John Bryan, an American financial manager, were published in the British tabloid "Daily Mirror". The Duchess endured widespread public ridicule contributing to her further estrangement from the British royal family. In 1995, Prince Andrew's aunt Princess Margaret, who had received a bouquet of flowers sent by Sarah, reportedly wrote in a letter to the Duchess: "You have done
Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough to return the key to the queen immediately. In January 1711, Sarah was stripped of the offices of Mistress of the Robes and Groom of the Stole and replaced by Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset. Abigail was made Keeper of the Privy Purse. This broke a promise Anne had made to distribute these court offices to Sarah's children. The Marlboroughs also lost state funding for Blenheim Palace, and the building came to a halt for the first time since it was begun in 1705. Now in disgrace, they left England and travelled in Europe. As a result of his success