Emails show Ferguson apologizing to Epstein after threats as charities sever ties and royals face scrutiny
New emails from 2011 surface amid mounting fallout over Ferguson's ties to Epstein, with charities dropping patronages and royals under pressure to reassess the Yorks' role.
LONDON — New emails published this weekend reveal Sarah, Duchess of York, sent a fawning apology to Jeffrey Epstein after what her spokesman described as a chilling threat to destroy the York family during a phone call. The revelations come as multiple charities cut ties with Ferguson within 24 hours, widening scrutiny of the Duchess's past associations and her long-standing relationship with the financier at the center of a sex-trafficking investigation.
In the messages, Ferguson described Epstein as a "supreme friend" and wrote that she was advised to have nothing to do with him and to avoid speaking or emailing him. In the email to Epstein, she said: "You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family," adding that she was "broken and lost" and that she did not want to hurt Prince Andrew again. She also offered a contrite admission, stating she was sorry for the situation and that she would try to repay debts and distance herself from Epstein.
A spokesman for Ferguson, James Henderson, described a subsequent phone call in which Epstein allegedly threatened legal action and explicitly warned he would destroy the York family and Henderson personally. Henderson characterized the exchange as chilling, describing Epstein as speaking in a calm, menacing tone and saying the situation was handled with fear and caution. He said the call underscored to him why Ferguson had been advised to minimize contact with Epstein.
The Mail on Sunday published the messages in conjunction with reporting about Ferguson’s 2011 interviews, in which she publicly disavowed Epstein after it emerged he had loaned her £15,000 to help pay off debts. The new material portrays Ferguson as seeking to appease Epstein in the wake of the disclosure, while acknowledging the perilous optics of continuing an association with him. Her friend and football figure Lizzie Cundy said Ferguson is "devastated" and wishes she had never met Epstein amid the ongoing fallout from the revelations.
The fallout from the disclosures has intensified scrutiny of the royal household. King Charles is facing pressure to expel Ferguson from royal patronages and to distance the family from Epstein’s orbit. Yet insiders say Charles has not moved to sever all ties with Ferguson and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, citing loyalty to the broader family and concerns about optics should they be expelled from public life entirely. A more hardline faction, including Prince William, has reportedly argued that the Yorks should be kept at arm’s length and, at minimum, removed from high-profile royal duties and hospitality at Royal Lodge.
The crisis has directly impacted Ferguson’s charity work. Within a day, seven charities publicly severed partnerships with her, including the Teenage Cancer Trust, Julia’s House, Prevent Breast Cancer, and The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, among others. The British Heart Foundation also said Ferguson would no longer serve as an ambassador. In statements, charities cited the Epstein correspondence and the timing of Ferguson’s revival of contact with him as reasons to end collaborations. The Teenage Cancer Trust, which had supported Ferguson for decades, said it had ended its patronage, while Julia’s House called the association inappropriate in light of the recent disclosures. Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s foundation, which launched the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said it was disturbed by Ferguson’s Epstein correspondence and chose to discontinue the patronage. The organizations stressed Ferguson’s past contributions but noted the need to preserve public trust.
The broader royal dynamics remain unsettled. Some observers say King Charles, keen to protect the monarchy’s unity, may seek a careful, incremental approach rather than a dramatic breaking point with Andrew and Ferguson. Others, including Prince William, are described as seeking firmer action to prevent the Yorks’ ongoing visibility at royal events. The impending questions about the Royal Lodge—its maintenance costs and the couple’s living arrangements—add to the pressure as the palace weighs how to handle a situation that touches on succession, public image and charitable integrity.
Epstein’s death in 2019, ruled a suicide while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges, remains a pivotal context for this week’s disclosures. The 2011 emails, which an adviser said were intended to assuage Epstein and address threats, now feed fresh scrutiny of the Yorks’ financial dealings, their charitable patronages, and their standing within the royal institution. As the fallout continues, the question for the monarchy centers on how to balance accountability with continuity, and how to navigate a crisis that intertwines celebrity, charity, and constitutional duties.