As more light is shed on the friendship of Sarah Ferguson and Jeffrey Epstein, even those who previously sympathised with the ‘likeable’ former Duchess of York have expressed concern
As disturbing details about Sarah Ferguson’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein emerge, those who know the former Duchess of York have expressed dismay, with one particularly odd aspect of the correspondence sparking concern.
While Fergie’s ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s connection to the convicted paedophile has long attracted criticism, the latest Epstein files drop makes it clear she too harboured affection for the disgraced financier, who she lauded as the “brother” she always “wished she’d had” in one shocking email.
On March 7, 2011, Sarah took on a rueful tone as she sat down for an interview with the Evening Standard, expressing regret over accepting £15,000 from Epstein, and pledging to have nothing to do with the sex offender from that point on. This wasn’t the full story, however, and behind the scenes, Fergie was grovelling to her “steadfast” and “generous” friend Epstein, who soured on her after she so publicly washed her hands of him. Fergie’s team insist her apology to Epstein happened because she was fearful over his ‘threats’.
In July 2009, Epstein was released from prison, having served 13 months of an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution with a minor. Upon his release, Epstein spent one year under house arrest but was still permitted to travel frequently. In his final month behind bars, Ferguson was seeking his advice on business matters, arranging prison phone calls and telling him, “love you”. And it appears she wasted no time in reconnecting with her “supreme friend”.
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In now-leaked messages, sent shortly after Sarah’s apology interview, Epstein is said to have told his lawyers that Sarah “was the first to celebrate my release with her two daughters in tow”. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie would have been 20 and 19 years old, respectively, during the summer when Epstein walked free.
At the time of this email being leaked, a source close to Sarah insisted that neither she nor her daughters had any recollection of such a visit. However, emails dated July 2009, show Sarah seemingly arranging a lunch with Epstein, telling him “myself, Beatrice and Eugenie” would be present. Then, in a message dated August 3, 2009, Ferguson heaped thanks on Epstein, telling him, “I have never been more touched by a friends kindness than your compliment to me in front of my girls.”
While Ferguson has been no stranger to making humiliating mistakes during her time within the Royal Family, it’s hard to imagine a more shameful downfall. And for former BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, the involvement of Beatrice and Eugenie in this controversial friendship leaves a particularly nasty taste.
Bond, who has crossed paths with Fergie multiple times over the years, today (February 3) appeared on GB News to discuss the unfolding scandal with presenters Eamonn Holmes and Dawn Neesom. Remarking that she found the goings on “depressing”, Bond remarked: “In these latest emails, we even see that she involved her daughters in her friendship with Epstein, and that I find very depressing.” She continued: “Sarah has always been in many ways quite a likeable person, and I hesitate to criticise another mother’s parenting, but I do ask what kind of mother would take her daughters, then aged 19 and 20, to Miami to have lunch wth a convicted paedophile.”
Both York princesses are discussed in correspondence between Sarah and Epstein, with the now 66-year-old grandmother making a very crass and personal remark about her youngest daughter, Eugenie. In one crude email exchange dated March 2010, Esptein appears to ask Fergie about her plans to visit New York, enquiring: “ny?” Fergie replied: “Not sure yet. Just waiting for Eugenie to come back from a sh*****g weekend.” This message was sent around the time of Princess Eugenie’s 20th birthday, which she celebrated with her now husband, Jack Brooksbank.
This sort of talk also didn’t sit well with Bond, who reflected: “A man who had come out of jail for that very crime only five days earlier. It is beyond comprehension to me, and then she wrote to Epstein and joked about her younger daughter’s love life. Why would you do that? I think that’s deeply, deeply insensitive. So I think Sarah is not only going to have to question her reputation and the damage done to that, but the damage done to the relationship with her daughters as well.”
This wasn’t the only time the royal sisters princesses were brought up in conversation. On July 1, 2010, Epstein emailed Ferguson to inform her that he’d be in London that week, asking whether there was a chance of Beatrice and Eugenie, who were then aged 21 and 20, “saying h=llo” (sic). Two days later, the then-duchess replied, informing Epstein that Beatrice was in London with Andrew, while “Eugie is away with cool boyfri=d.” (sic).
Both Beatrice and Eugenie are said to be “mortified” and “aghast” at the revelations that have emerged from this latest batch of Epstein files. A source close to the York sisters told the Daily Mail: “They are aghast at what they have read. They are mortified by the emails their mother has sent to Epstein. It is so embarrassing for them. We don’t believe the girls were told much about what has just emerged [in the latest Epstein files release], and they will simply be aghast at just how close their parents were to this appalling man.”
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested once again, this time on charges of federal sex trafficking. He died by suicide in a New York jail cell the following month, before he could stand trial.
The Mirror has approached Sarah Ferguson, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the Palace for comment. Andrew has always strongly denied any wrongdoing.
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