Sarah Ferguson Says She Sent Leaked Email to Protect Beatrice and Eugenie After Epstein’s ‘Threats’
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.
Sarah Ferguson can't seem to escape controversy, as fresh allegations continue to resurface relating to her ties to Jeffrey Epstein. On September 20, she grabbed headlines when leaked emails from her personal account exposed her apology to 'supreme friend' Epstein for criticizing him in interviews. Following the backlash, Ferguson now claims she sent the emails in a desperate attempt to shield her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, from Epstein’s persistent 'threats' to sue her for defamation.
Excerpts from Ferguson’s email were first published by The Sun, after which she was dropped from several charities as a patron. Her spokesperson, James Henderson, told the Daily Mail that the disgraced financier had threatened to destroy the York family in a 'chilling' phone call after her criticism of him. They explained, "The pressure she was put under to protect her family must have been huge. And this was long before the Duke's life had been ruined by his association with Epstein. Her family and her children will always come first." In the emails, the Duchess told Epstein that she was aware how he would "feel hellaciously let down" by her.
Henderson also stressed that Ferguson’s public condemnation of Epstein was genuine and that he blackmailed her. He continued, "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…This email was sent in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats." Epstein was reportedly left raging after Ferguson had expressed regret in an interview for accepting $18,200 from him to settle her debts. Ferguson had dubbed it a "terrible, terrible error of judgment."
Echoing Ferguson’s claims, her friend also told The Sun that the late financier threatened aggressive legal action. They spilled, "He was furious she had done the right thing and condemned him publicly, and wanted revenge... She felt she had no option but to write in the way she did — trying to appease him and make it all go away."
The scathing leak has allegedly created havoc in the royal family, with King Charles said to be under pressure from Prince William to banish Prince Andrew and Ferguson from family events. He is, however, reluctant to do so, considering the Yorks' loyalty to the Crown. According to an insider, Charles believes "the difference between the Yorks and the Sussexes is that Andrew and Fergie have never publicly criticized the monarchy or the King," the Daily Mail reported.
Interestingly, on September 23, Eugenie helped launch a new anti-trafficking campaign in New York, days after her mom’s email leak. The organization she cofounded, The Anti Slavery Collective, pledges to the governments to crack down on abuses like forced labor, child labor, and human trafficking. This has folks pointing out the obvious irony.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)