Sarah Ferguson sent a grovelling email to Jeffrey Epstein calling him a "supreme friend" just weeks after publicly vowing to cut all ties with the convicted sex offender. The Duchess of York's private correspondence from April 2011 directly contradicted her public statements and revealed the pressure she faced from legal threats.
The email, dated April 26, 2011, came less than two months after Ferguson told the Evening Standard she would "never have anything to do with" Epstein again. In her March interview, she had publicly apologised for accepting £15,000 from the billionaire paedophile and described the decision as a "gigantic error of judgment".
Legal pressure behind contradiction
Ferguson's spokesman revealed the email was sent because Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation after she associated him with paedophilia in the media. The duchess wrote that she was "bedridden with fear" and had been "advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you".
In the private message, Ferguson told Epstein: "You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family." She continued: "I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that."
The duchess explained her silence by saying she feared causing "more problems to you, the Duke and myself" and didn't want to "hurt Andrew one more time". Her spokesman said the email was sent "in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats".
Ongoing royal connections
Only the Independent reports that Peter Mandelson was recently dismissed by Keir Starmer for his own Epstein connections, highlighting the continued political sensitivity around the case. The leaked correspondence also appeared in multiple media outlets, indicating widespread access to the private communications.
Ferguson's spokesman emphasised that her public condemnation of Epstein remained unchanged despite the private apology. He said: "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."
Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Sources used: "Mirror", "Daily Star", "Birmingham Mail", "Independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
