Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has lost patronage from five charities following the emergence of an email in which she referred to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as a “supreme friend.” The backlash over her ties to Epstein has prompted several organizations to sever their links with her.
The controversy began on Monday after reports surfaced showing Ferguson’s email addressing Epstein with the phrase “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.” Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to a state prostitution charge in Florida.
The Guardian reported that Ferguson’s apology to Epstein followed an interview published in the Evening Standard in March 2011, where she admitted making a “terrible, terrible error of judgment” by accepting £15,000 from Epstein to pay off her debts. She added: “I abhor paedophilia.”
According to The Sun, Ferguson—ex-wife of King Charles’s brother, Prince Andrew—sent the apology email to Epstein in 2011, weeks after stating in an interview that she would never contact him again.
In response to the email revelations, The Telegraph quoted James Henderson, Ferguson’s spokesperson at the time, saying that the email was sent after a “really menacing and nasty” phone call from Epstein, during which he reportedly spoke with a “Hannibal Lecter-type voice.” Henderson described the call as chilling and expressed disbelief that anyone could have maintained a friendship with Epstein given his behavior.
Henderson added, “He said he would destroy the York family and he was quite clear on that. He said he would destroy me. He wasn’t shouting. He had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. It was very cold and calm and really menacing and nasty.”
He further explained the immense pressure Ferguson faced to protect her family, suggesting there may have been legal actions involved. “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,” Henderson said.
CNN reported that Ferguson’s former spokesperson declined to comment on the charities’ decisions but had previously stated that she sent the email to Epstein to counter the threat of a defamation lawsuit.
On Monday, five charities announced that the Duchess of York would no longer serve as their patron. Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founders of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said in a statement: “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.”
The fallout reflects a broader distancing from Epstein’s associates. In 2022, Prince Andrew was stripped of most of his titles and removed from royal duties due to his connections to the financier. Firms and charities also distanced themselves from him, CNN reported.
This development marks a significant moment in the ongoing repercussions faced by those linked to Jeffrey Epstein as public scrutiny intensifies.
https://www.news18.com/world/five-charities-cuts-off-ties-with-britains-duchess-of-york-over-links-with-epstein-ws-l-9592562.html
