Charities are distancing themselves from Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, after an email in which she allegedly described Jeffrey Epstein as a “supreme friend” resurfaced in the press. According to The Sun, a close friend of Ferguson said she sent the email to Epstein shortly after she publicly promised to never contact him again, and after Epstein threatened legal action against her.
Ferguson had publicly acknowledged a “gigantic error of judgment” in dealing with Epstein. However, the reported email painted a different picture.
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“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me,” the email read in part. “And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”
Charities respond to Ferguson reports
The backlash against Ferguson has grown quickly. Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founders of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, issued a statement after the alleged email came to light.
“We were disturbed to read of Sarah, Duchess of York’s, correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein,” they wrote. “Sarah Ferguson has not been actively involved with the charity for some years. She was a patron but, in the light of the recent revelations, we have taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue to be associated with the charity.”
Other organizations followed suit. According to Sky News, the Children’s Literacy Charity asked Ferguson to step down as a patron “given the recent information which has come to light about the Duchess of York and Jeffrey Epstein.”
The Teenage Cancer Trust also ended its association with her. The BBC reports that a total of seven charities have cut ties so far.
Prince Andrew’s ties to Epstein
Ferguson, 65, is the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, King Charles III’s younger brother. She has also built a career as an entrepreneur and children’s book author.
Andrew himself has long faced scrutiny for his relationship with Epstein. He was photographed walking with him through New York’s Central Park in 2010. It’s the only known photo of the two together.
In 2019, just months after Epstein’s death, Andrew sat down for a 49-minute BBC interview. He described their friendship, which began in 1999. He admitted the opportunities that came from knowing Epstein were “very useful.” However, he insisted he ended the relationship after the New York visit.
Meanwhile, accusations continued to surface. Virginia Giuffre, who had spoken out publicly for years about Epstein, claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell as a teenager. Among her allegations was that she was directed to have sex with Andrew, a claim he has consistently denied.
By 2022, Andrew had stepped back from royal duties under pressure, largely because of his association with Epstein.
