Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has lost her role as patron of four UK charities after a resurfaced email linked her more closely to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Julia’s House, a children’s hospice serving families in Dorset and Wiltshire, was the first to cut ties, saying it would be “inappropriate” for Ferguson to continue in the role. The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the Children’s Literacy Charity, and Prevent Breast Cancer soon followed with similar statements of thanks for her past support but confirmed her removal.
The controversy stems from a 2011 email in which Ferguson described Epstein as her “supreme friend.” The message appeared to contradict her public stance at the time, when she had called her association with him a “gigantic error of judgement” and said his crimes were “wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.”
A spokesperson for the Duchess clarified that the email had been sent under legal pressure. They claimed Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation, and she wrote the message to diffuse the situation. The spokesperson added that Ferguson deeply regrets any association with Epstein.
Prevent Breast Cancer confirmed she was no longer a patron, while the Teenage Cancer Trust, where Ferguson has served for 35 years, said it is reviewing the situation.
The fallout mirrors the earlier downfall of her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties in 2019 following his own links to Epstein. Andrew was photographed with Epstein in New York’s Central Park in 2010, after Epstein had served jail time for sex offences.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His connections to high-profile figures continue to cause controversy as more information emerges.
The decision by charities to distance themselves from Ferguson reflects a growing trend of organizations protecting their reputations by swiftly severing ties with figures linked to Epstein.
