Charities sever ties with Duchess of York after Epstein email

A number of charities have severed ties with Sarah, Duchess of York, after it was disclosed she sent a message to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein describing him as a “supreme friend”.

A spokesman for the duchess previously said she apologised to Epstein in April 2011 for associating him with paedophilia in the media because he threatened to sue her.

On Monday, Dorset and Wiltshire-based children’s hospice Julia’s House said the correspondence made it “inappropriate for her to continue as a patron”.

The charity’s statement read: “Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of York’s correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia’s House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity.

“We have advised the Duchess of York of this decision and thank her for her past support.”

Prevent Breast Cancer, which the duchess became a patron of last year, also announced it was cutting ties with her.

She joined forces with the charity following her own experience with breast cancer in 2023.

Announcing it was dropping the duchess as patron, a spokeswoman said: “The Duchess of York is no longer a patron of Prevent Breast Cancer.

“We have advised her of this decision and thank her for her past support.”

Following the announcement from Julia’s House, food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation also announced it had dropped the duchess as a patron.

The charity, which was launched after teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died from a severe allergic reaction to eating a baguette, asked the duchess to become a patron when it was founded in 2019.

In a statement, founders Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse said: “We were disturbed to read of Sarah, Duchess of York’s, correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.

“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.

“We would like to thank her for her kindness and support in the past.”

The Sun newspaper reported that the duchess “humbly apologised” to Epstein for linking him to paedophilia in the media, describing him as “steadfast” and “generous”.

Her spokesman said it was sent “in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats”.

The email stemmed from an interview with the Evening Standard on March 7, 2011, in which she apologised for accepting £15,000 from the sex offender.

During the interview, she told the newspaper: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say.

“Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

A little over a month later, the duchess sent a message to Epstein, in which she said: “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me.

“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.”

It continued: “I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you.

“And if I did — I would cause more problems to you, the Duke and myself. I was broken and lost.

“So please understand. I didn’t want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry.”

The duchess’s spokesman previously said she had spoken of her regret about her association with Epstein and “does not resile” from condemning him publicly.

He added that Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, in the US, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges.

The death was ruled a suicide.