The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, has been removed from her role as a patron of Julia’s House, a children’s hospice charity serving families in Dorset and Wiltshire. This decision follows the emergence of an email from 2011 in which she referred to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as her “supreme friend.”
A spokesperson for Julia’s House stated that the charity deemed it inappropriate for the Duchess to continue in her patronage following the recent information regarding her correspondence with Epstein. The spokesperson thanked the Duchess for her past support and communicated this decision to her.
Ferguson’s spokesperson has not provided comments on the charity’s action. Meanwhile, another organization, the Teenage Cancer Trust, which also has the Duchess as a patron, is reportedly reviewing her status within the charity.
The email in question appears to have been sent after Ferguson publicly distanced herself from Epstein and seemed to conflict with her earlier statements, in which she described her relationship with him as a “gigantic error of judgement.” In her 2011 email, she expressed regret over publicly rejecting Epstein, stating, “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”
The Duchess’ spokesperson clarified that the email was sent in response to a threat from Epstein to sue her for defamation, stressing that she regretted any association with him. This email exchange occurred years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex offences.
Ferguson became a patron of Julia’s House in 2018 and has visited one of its hospices. She has since been removed from the charity’s website, where other patrons such as football manager Eddie Howe and actor Nigel Havers remain listed. Julia’s House provides support to children with life-threatening and life-shortening conditions, along with their families.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cddmr6v0jpzo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss