As Sarah Ferguson faces fresh criticism over her communications with Jeffrey Epstein, the Mirror takes a look at some of the former Duchess of York’s email correspondence with the convicted sex offender
Once a duchess with illustrious patronages and titles, Sarah Ferguson’s downfall has been extraordinary. And now the former royal wife has sparked further fury, with new details about her emails to “brother” Jeffrey Epstein coming to light.
The crumbled House of York has faced yet more intense scrutiny this past weekend after a photograph released as part of the Epstein files appeared to show Andrew Mountbatten Windsor kneeling on all fours over an unidentified female. Appearing within the Epstein files does not indicate guilt, and Andrew, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
While Andrew’s friendship with paedophile Epstein has attracted criticism over the years, correspondence between Sarah and the convicted sex offender has also proven shocking. The mother of two faced a shameful end to 2025 after it emerged she had referred to Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019, as her “supreme friend”, shortly after publicly distancing herself from him.
Now, further email correspondence has been released that paints a grim picture of the now 66-year-old grandmother’s apparent friendship with one of the most notoriously reviled men in living memory.
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Crude Princess Eugenie comment
Pictures of an email exchange between Fergie and paedophile Epstein have been released as part of more than three million documents published by the US Department of Justice in recent days relating to the disgraced financier.
These exchanges take place between an individual referred to just as “Sarah”, whose email address has been redacted. There are also other discussions with others about “Fergie”. In one email dated March 2010, Esptein appears to ask Fergie about a possible trip to New York, enquiring: “ny?”
Fergie responded: “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 spent with her then-boyfriend, now husband, Jack Brooksbank.
This isn’t the first time the two princesses were discussed. 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, letting Epstein know that Beatrice was in London with Andrew, while “Eugie is away with cool boyfri=d.” (sic).
Compliments from ‘brother’
Other newly released emails show Fergie praising Epstein after he complimented her in front of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, hailing him as the “brother” she had “always wished for”. In the message, sent on August 3, 2009, Sarah wrote: “In just week, after your lunch, it seems the energy has lifted. I have never been more touched by a friends kindness than your compliment to me in front of my girls. Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for.”
The following year, an affectionate email saw Sarah tell “legend” Epstein, “just marry me”. She penned: “You are a legend. I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness Xx I am at your service . Just marry me.”
Behind Fergie’s back, however, it would appear that Epstein wasn’t quite so ready with compliments. BBC News reports that, in an email dated September 2011, Epstein sent a link to the Daily Mail’s coverage of Princess Beatrice’s graduation from university, remarking: “Pic of F from Friday. not the prettiest site….”(sic).
‘Congratulations’ on birth of ‘baby boy’
In September 2011, Ferguson congratulated Epstein on the arrival of his “baby boy”, opening up yet another mystery. In a note sent shortly after the sex offender was released from jail for soliciting sex from teenagers as young as 14, Fergie rushed to offer her best wishes on this apparent new addition, while confirming that he still had her “friendship”.
The email, seen by the Daily Mail, indicates that, while Epstein had allegedly cut off contact with her, the former Duchess of York was keen to maintain their correspondence. In the previously unseen email, Ferguson wrote: “Don’t know if you’re still on this bbm [BlackBerry Messenger) but have heard from The Duke that you have had a baby boy.” She continued: ‘Even though you never kept in touch, I am still here with love, friendship and congratulations on your baby boy’. It is signed: ‘Sarah x’.
Epstein never acknowledged having any biological children in his lifetime. If he had indeed had a son at around that time, the child would now be 14 years old. With no heir to his name, Epstein’s last-known girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, was set to inherit most of his fortune following his death in 2019. However, more than 100 people have previously claimed they may be his offspring, therefore giving them a birthright to his millions.
Speaking in 2020, the founder of DNA firm Morse Genealogical Services, Harvey Morse, who established a website called epsteinheirs.com, reasoned: “Jeffrey Epstein was sexually promiscuous for so long that there is a reasonable chance he may have fathered a child. He could even be a grandfather.” According to Mr Morse, 130 people came forward with a claim, with at least a quarter immediately dismissed as unreliable.
50th birthday party invitation
In February 2010, the then Duchess of York invited the paedophile to Andrew’s milestone 50th birthday party, at St James’s Palace. The previous year, Epstein had been released from jail after serving time for soliciting prostitution of a minor. As per the invitation: “Beatrice, Eugenie and I would love to invite you to celebrate the 50 years of Papa/Andrew. It will be on February 26th 2010, from 7.30pm for Drinks and for 8.30pm for Dinner, at St. James’s Palace, London. It will be suits and cocktail dresses, and you know me, mysterious mischief. so bring your presents. your presence and your humour!”
Epstein responded to confirm that he would “not able” to attend the bash. The year before, an email sent by Epstein to hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin claims “fergie said she could organize tea in the apts.. or windsor castle” (sic). Epstein went on to assert that Dubin should call Fergie directly.
Money woes
In 2009, after a business venture crashed, Ferguson appeared to send an urgent email to Epstein, writing: “I urgently need 20,000 pounds ($27,521) for rent today. The landlord has threatened to go to the newspapers if I don’t pay. Any brainwaves?” The email exchange in which Sarah requested cash began between Epstein and David Stern, a lawyer and former commissioner of the National Basketball Association in the US.
Copying and pasting text, Stern sent Epstein an ABC News article dated October 2, 2009, titled, Duchess of Debt? Closure of Sarah Ferguson’s Business. In this piece, questions are raised as to whether or not Fergie’s finances were “in jeopardy”. Replying, “You have a rat,” Epstein then copied “ferg” into the email chain. Remarking that the leak could have come from “disgruntled investors… or others that are owed money”, Epstein advised the recipient to “be careful how you spin the answers to these things.”
She replied “Correct”, before naming an investor she claimed had “broken a confidentiality agreement”, adding “ABC and all this is being handled by my lawyer”. At this point, she says she explains she needs money for rent, at which point the conversation chain seemingly ends.
Private investigator
The Sun reports that Epstein had asked a private investigator for “data collection” on Fergie. One message, dated August 20, 2009, shows a redacted name emailing Epstein: “Fergie data collection remains slow.” In response, Epstein said: “Keep on it.” A second email sent to Epstein from this same individual reads: “Getting financials for Fergie is painful. Incredible mess. I’m on it but for sure completeness will always remain questionable. “
Another email, sent to Epstein from Stern, included a copy of a news piece about the former duchess. Epstein asked, “Who talks?” Stern then replied: “No idea. She is terrified of Johnny. He must know some dirty stuff.”
Apology to ‘supreme friend’
On March 7 2011, Sarah declared she had distanced herself from Epstein in an interview with the Evening Standard, in which she apologised for accepting £15,000 from the late sex offender. She told the publication: “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 ever again.”
However, as revealed in emails published by back in September, Sarah took quite a different tone in emails sent to sex offender Epstein after this declaration, in which she “humbly apologised” for connecting her “supreme friend” to paedophilia in the press, while praising him as “steadfast” and “generous”.
The email, dated April 26 2011, read as follows: “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. 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. I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you. And if I did – I would cause more problems to you, I was broken and lost. So please understand. I didn’t want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry.”
After this controversial correspondence came to light, Sarah’s spokesperson issued a statement explaining the email had been sent “in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats”. Despite this explanation, however, it appeared that reputational damage had been done. Not long after this scandal erupted, Julia’s House, a children’s hospice in Dorset and Wiltshire, announced that it was “inappropriate” for Fergie to continue in her role as patron.
These newly released emails appeared to suggest that Epstein had hoped Ferguson would help clear his name. Accused of abusing dozens of teenage girls between the years 1999 and 2007, the paedophile reached a plea deal to avoid federal sex trafficking charges, instead pleading guilty to lesser state charges in 2008. He served 13 months behind bars. In one exchange, dated March, it’s believed Epstein tells three others, including his publicist: “I think Fergie can now say, I am not a pedo.” He continues: “She was DUPED into believing false stories.” This email suggests Fergie could say she was “told horrible things and she reacted”. In reply, Epstein’s publicist Mike Sitrick asserted that they had a strategy in place to “get newspapers to stop calling you a pedophile and get the truth out”, adding that one of the tactics would be to “get Fergie to retract”.
‘First to celebrate’ Epstein’s release
The Daily Mail reported how emails dating back to 2011 suggested that Fergie was so keen to cosy up to the sex offender that “she was the first to celebrate” his release from jail and that she’d even travelled over to the US “with her two daughters in tow”. At this time, Princess Beatrice would have been 20 and Princess Eugenie 19 – around the same age as many of Epstein’s victims. As was later reported by The Telegraph, a source close to Sarah insisted that neither she nor her daughters had any recollection of such a visit.
In July 2009, Epstein was released after serving 13 months of an 18-month sentence in a Palm Beach County jail after pleading guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution with a minor. Following his release, Epstein spent a year under house arrest but was still permitted to travel frequently. In July 2019, Epstein was arrested once again, this time on charges of federal sex trafficking, but died by suicide in a New York jail cell the following month before he could stand trial.
The Mirror has reached out to Sarah Ferguson’s representatives for comment. Andrew has always strongly denied any wrongdoing. Beatrice and Eugenie have sought to distance themselves from their parents as they’re swept up in the roiling scandal.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
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