Recently uncovered emails between Jeffrey Epstein and the Duchess of York reveal her referring to him as a “supreme friend,” prompting multiple charities to cut ties with her on Monday.
The email, dated 2011, shows the duchess expressing regret for distancing herself from Epstein after his 2007 arrest for underage prostitution. In light of this revelation, several prominent British charities focused on women and children have announced they will no longer have her as a patron.
Julia’s House, which supports families with children in need in Dorset and Wiltshire, was the first to declare that Sarah Ferguson would cease fundraising for their cause. Ferguson is the ex-wife of Prince Andrew.
Later on the same day, the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the Children’s Literacy Charity, and Prevent Breast Cancer also confirmed they would be parting ways with the Duchess of York.
A spokesperson for the duchess declined to comment on the situation, as reported by the BBC.
Both the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the Children’s Literacy Charity stated that it would be “inappropriate” for Ferguson to continue her representation, given her awareness of Epstein’s legal troubles.
The Teenage Cancer Trust, where Ferguson has been a patron for over 35 years, announced it is reviewing her status.
The decisions by the four charities came after the 2011 email surfaced, in which Ferguson apologizes to Epstein for her public distancing, stating, “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.” Earlier that same year, she had described her previous association with Epstein as a “gigantic error of judgment,” acknowledging that “what he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.”
A spokesman for Ferguson initially suggested that the controversial email was intended as a strategy to prevent Epstein from pursuing defamation claims against the family, stating, “This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has also faced significant backlash due to his connections with Epstein, who died in 2019. Andrew has been listed on flight logs to Epstein’s infamous compound, and Virginia Giuffre, a victim, has alleged that she was abused by him. He stepped back from his royal duties and resigned from his patronages in 2019 amid the renewed scrutiny following Epstein’s second arrest that year.
