Royal Scandal: Sarah Ferguson Branded Epstein's 'Supreme Friend' as Charities Cut Ties

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is being dropped by a wave of UK charities after a 2011 email resurfaced in which she called convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her 'supreme friend'.

According to the BBC, at least seven organisations, including Julia's House children's hospice and the Teenage Cancer Trust, have cut ties as the scandal reignites scrutiny of the royal family's links to Epstein, whose dark legacy continues to taint public figures on both sides of the Atlantic.

Charities Distance Themselves

Julia's House was the first to act, stating it was 'inappropriate' for the Duchess to remain in her role. Other groups followed suit, including the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the Children's Literacy Charity, Prevent Breast Cancer, and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. The British Heart Foundation also confirmed it would no longer count Ferguson as an ambassador.

A spokesperson for Ferguson said she would not be commenting on the individual decisions of the charities.

The timing of the charity withdrawals followed reports in the Mail on Sunday and The Sun, which published excerpts from the 2011 email sent by Ferguson to Epstein. In the message, the Duchess appeared to privately apologise for having publicly criticised him in an interview just weeks earlier.

'You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family,' she wrote. 'I know you feel hellaciously let down by me... and I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that.'

Public Denunciation Contradicted

The email appeared to contradict statements Ferguson had made publicly around the same time. In a March 2011 interview, she described her prior association with Epstein — including accepting £15,000 from him to help clear debts — as a 'gigantic error of judgement'.

She said: 'What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed. I will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.'

The conflicting messages have now drawn criticism not just from the public, but from institutions that once relied on her as a patron.

Defence From The Duchess's Camp

Ferguson's representatives insisted the email had been sent under duress. A statement claimed the email was written on legal advice after Epstein allegedly threatened to sue the Duchess for defamation.

'This email was sent in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats,' a spokesperson said. 'She deeply regrets any association with him.'

Nonetheless, the damage to her public image appears substantial. Her 35-year role with the Teenage Cancer Trust has now come to an end.

Julia's House, where she had served as patron since 2018, also confirmed her departure, as did Prevent Breast Cancer, which she joined in 2024 after undergoing her own breast cancer treatment.

Renewed Focus On Royal Ties to Epstein

The scandal has reignited questions about the royal family's historical ties to Epstein. Ferguson's former husband, Prince Andrew, has long faced criticism for his friendship with the disgraced financier. He was photographed with Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2010 — after Epstein's release from prison — and was later forced to step back from royal duties following a widely criticised BBC Newsnight interview in 2019.

This latest revelation further complicates efforts by the Palace to distance itself from the Epstein saga. With more Epstein-related documents reportedly set to be released in the US — including details from his alleged 'birthday book' — fresh revelations could once again cast a shadow over members of the royal household.

A Survivor In Decline?

Sarah Ferguson has long been seen as a survivor within royal circles. Despite past scandals, she re-entered royal life in recent years, joining family Christmas gatherings at Sandringham and helping Prince Andrew stay out of the spotlight during a separate political controversy last year.

However, this latest scandal may mark a turning point. 'This is no longer just a story about past errors of judgement,' one royal commentator noted. 'It's about accountability — and whether the institutions she represented feel she can still speak for them.'

Buckingham Palace has not commented, but sources say there is increasing pressure for the Duke and Duchess of York to remain out of public life. As the royal family braces for more disclosures from the Epstein archives, the reputational damage may only continue to grow.