Cliff Notes
- Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, apologised to Jeffrey Epstein in 2011, describing him as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend,” amid threats of a defamation lawsuit from him.
- Her spokesperson clarified that the email was sent under duress due to advice received, following her public disavowal of Epstein.
- Ferguson expressed remorse over her association with Epstein, highlighting that she was misled by his persona and condemned his actions once aware of the allegations.
Duchess of York says gushing message to Epstein was not what it seemed | UK News
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Just weeks after publicly disowning disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, Sarah Ferguson apparently wrote him a gushing message describing him as her “supreme friend,” new reports claim.
But Sarah, Duchess of York, only wrote the note because Epstein had threatened to sue her, her spokesman has now said.
According to the Sun on Sunday, the ex-wife of the Duke of York had emailed Epstein 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.
However, her spokesman said today it was sent “in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats”.
The duchess’s interview with the Evening Standard on 7 March 2011 saw her apologise for accepting £15,000 from Epstein. She told reporters she would “never have anything to do with” the sex offender again.
‘Bedridden with fear’
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 says that little over a month later, the duchess emailed from her private account to the sex offender, apologising to him and telling him she was “bedridden with fear”.
The duchess’s spokesman said Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation after associating him with paedophilia.
‘Taken in by his lies’
The 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.”
Earlier this month Peter Mandelson, the British ambassador to the US, was removed from post after it was discovered he too, sent messages to Epstein, calling him “my best pal” after he was jailed awaiting sex trafficking charges.
Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019. The death was ruled a suicide.