Duchess of York Dropped From Children’s Charity Over Epstein Email

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has been dropped as a patron of a children’s hospice after it emerged she sent an email apologizing to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and calling him her “supreme friend”.

Ferguson had sent an email to Epstein in which she “humbly apologized” for linking him to child sex abuse, saying “you have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family,”

Prior to that In a 2011 interview with the Evening Standard newspaper, Ferguson said she was sorry for accepting 15,000 pounds from Epstein. She told the newspaper: “I abhor pedophilia 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” she added that “Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

Following the revelations, Julia’s House, a children’s hospice charity serving families in Dorset and Wiltshire, said it would be “inappropriate” for Prince Andrew’s former wife to continue in her role as a patron of the charity.

A number of other charities have followed suit, including a food allergy charity, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, and Prevent Breast Cancer.

Sky News reports: The charity said in a statement: “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.”

Julia’s House provides support for “families caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition”, according to its website.

It comes after it emerged the duchess had written a gushing message to Epstein, describing him as her “supreme friend”.

According to The Sun on Sunday, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew had emailed him in April 2011 and “humbly apologised” for linking him to paedophilia in the media a few weeks previously.

She said in the message that he was a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” to her.

Her spokesperson has since said she only wrote the note because Epstein had threatened to sue her.

The duchess’s interview with the Evening Standard on 7 March 2011 saw her apologise for accepting £15,000 from Epstein.

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.”

But The Sun on Sunday reported that little over a month later, the duchess sent an email to the sex offender from her private account.

She apologised to him and said she was “bedridden with fear”, the paper reported.

‘Her first thoughts are with his victims’

In a statement at the weekend, the duchess’s spokesman said: “The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims.

“Like many people, she was taken in by his lies.

“As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.

“She does not resile from anything she said then.

“This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”