Sarah Ferguson Lost Patronage from Five Charities Following Email Revealing Ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Several charities severed their links with Britain’s Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, after reports emerged that she had described the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as a “supreme friend” in an email. The revelation sparked significant backlash over her association with Epstein.
Background
Jeffrey Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to a state prostitution charge in Florida. In March 2011, Ferguson gave an interview to the Evening Standard, admitting that she had made a “terrible, terrible error of judgment” by accepting £15,000 from Epstein to pay off her debts. She also emphasized, “I abhor paedophilia.”
The Controversial Email
According to The Sun, Ferguson sent an apology email to Epstein in 2011, weeks after her interview in which she stated she would never contact him again. In that email, she referred to Epstein as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.”
James Henderson, who was Ferguson’s spokesperson at the time, told The Telegraph that the email was sent following a “really menacing and nasty” phone call from Epstein. Henderson described Epstein’s voice during the call as similar to the chilling tone of Hannibal Lecter. He recalled, “People don’t understand how terrible Epstein was. I can remember everything about that call. It was a chilling call, and I’m surprised anybody was ever friends with him given the way he talked to me.”
Henderson further revealed that Epstein threatened to destroy both Ferguson and her family, stating, “He said he would destroy the York family and he was quite clear on that. He wasn’t shouting. He had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. It was very cold and calm and really menacing and nasty.”
He added that the pressure on Ferguson to protect her family must have been immense. “I am sure there were legal actions. And this was long before the duke’s life had been ruined by his association with Epstein. It was 14 years ago and everyone will do what they have to do to protect their family. Her family and children will always come first for her.”
Charities Sever Ties
On Monday, five charities announced that the Duchess could no longer be their patron. Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founders of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, issued a statement saying, “We were disturbed to read of Sarah, Duchess of York’s, correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein. She was a patron but, in 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.”
Ferguson’s former spokesperson declined to comment specifically on the charities’ decisions but previously stated that the email was sent to counter a potential defamation lawsuit from Epstein.
Wider Impact
In 2022, Prince Andrew, the ex-husband of Sarah Ferguson and brother of King Charles, was stripped of most of his titles and removed from royal duties due to his connections to Epstein. Subsequently, firms and charities also distanced themselves from him, as reported by CNN.
The fallout continues to affect members of the royal family and those associated with Epstein, highlighting the enduring consequences of their ties to the disgraced financier.
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