In a fresh wave of controversy engulfing Britain’s royal family, newly surfaced emails have revealed that Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, described the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” in 2011—just weeks after publicly denouncing her association with him. The revelation, reported by multiple newspapers including The Sun, Mail on Sunday, and BBC, has reignited scrutiny over the royal family’s connections to Epstein and the broader fallout from his network of powerful acquaintances.
The email in question, dated April 2011, was reportedly sent by Ferguson from her private account to Epstein, who had already been jailed in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor. In the message, Ferguson apologized for her prior public remarks linking Epstein to paedophilia and assured him, “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.” She added that she was “bedridden with fear” and “paralysed” at the time of writing, according to The Sun.
Just a month earlier, Ferguson had given an interview to the Evening Standard in which she described her involvement with Epstein as “a gigantic error of judgment.” She publicly apologized for accepting £15,000 from the disgraced financier to help pay off her debts, vowing, “I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.” Ferguson also stated unequivocally, “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.” (Evening Standard, March 7, 2011)
Yet, the subsequent email—sent only weeks after this public renunciation—appeared to contradict her earlier statements. “As you know I did not, absolutely not, say the P word about you,” Ferguson wrote to Epstein. “And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.” She continued, “I am apologising to you today for not replying to your email or reaching out to you. I was bedridden with fear. I was paralysed.”
The revelations have prompted a swift response from Ferguson’s spokesperson, who insisted that the email was not a genuine expression of support but rather a strategic move to prevent legal threats. “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,” the spokesperson told BBC. “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. This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”
This explanation was echoed in statements to other media outlets. Ferguson’s representatives maintained that the email was not praise for Epstein but an attempt to calm him after he threatened to sue her for associating him with paedophilia in the media. The spokesperson stressed that Ferguson stood by her earlier condemnation of Epstein and deeply regretted her involvement, emphasizing, “She does not resile from anything she said then.”
The timing of the email’s emergence is significant. It follows the release of thousands of emails from Epstein’s personal Yahoo account, recently obtained by Bloomberg. These files have shed light on the financier’s extensive network, including supportive messages from prominent figures like Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the US. Mandelson was removed from his post earlier this month after it was discovered he had sent messages to Epstein calling him “my best pal” and encouraging him to “fight for early release” after his 2008 conviction.
The ongoing scrutiny of Ferguson’s relationship with Epstein also intersects with the broader royal scandal involving her former husband, Prince Andrew. Andrew’s own close ties to Epstein culminated in a high-profile lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that Andrew abused her when she was 17. While Andrew denied the allegations, he settled out of court, and the case led to his stepping back from public duties in January 2022. He also relinquished his military affiliations and royal patronages. Giuffre, whose allegations were central to the case, died by suicide in April 2025, with her family citing the unbearable toll of abuse.
The revelations about Ferguson’s email have added new fuel to the damaging media coverage surrounding royal links to Epstein. “The story will add new fuel to damaging media coverage about royal links to Epstein, which have centered on Andrew’s own close relationship and a lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse,” reported NBC News. Other royals have reportedly distanced themselves from Andrew since his fall from grace, and his public appearances have become increasingly rare.
The wider fallout from Epstein’s network continues to reverberate far beyond the royal family. Lord Mandelson’s removal as ambassador and the exposure of his supportive messages to Epstein are just the latest examples of how the financier’s connections to powerful individuals have led to public disgrace and institutional upheaval. The publication of Ferguson’s email underscores how Epstein’s influence extended into the highest echelons of British society, even after his conviction for sex offenses.
Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York. His death, ruled a suicide, has done little to quell the ongoing revelations about his relationships with politicians, royalty, and business leaders. The steady drip of new disclosures—whether through leaked emails, court documents, or investigative journalism—continues to shape public understanding of the scope and scale of Epstein’s network.
For Ferguson, the resurfacing of her 2011 email has brought renewed scrutiny and criticism. Her spokesperson’s insistence that she was “taken in by his lies” and acted out of fear and legal advice may offer some mitigation, but the episode serves as a reminder of the enduring reputational risks faced by those who once counted Epstein as a friend or benefactor. As the British public and international observers alike watch the latest chapter unfold, the royal family finds itself once again navigating the treacherous waters of scandal and public accountability.
With the continuing release of documents and revelations, the shadow of Epstein’s crimes—and the question of who enabled or excused them—remains a potent force in British public life. The Duchess of York’s story, caught between remorse, fear, and public scrutiny, is just one strand in a much larger web that the world is still unraveling.