Duchess of York wrote to ‘supreme friend’ Epstein after insisting she had minimize ties, leaked emails reveal | EUROtoday

Sarah, Duchess of York, apologised to Jeffrey Epstein for disowning him and known as him a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” after saying she had minimize ties with him, in keeping with a leaked electronic mail.

The electronic mail from the Duke of York’s ex-wife, dated 26 April 2011, reportedly got here simply weeks after she advised reporters she would “never have anything to do with” the convicted intercourse offender once more.

The emails, first reported by Sun on Sunday and the Daily Mailreportedly confirmed that the duchess had “humbly apologised” to Epstein for linking him to paedophilia within the media, earlier than lathering him with reward about his power and generosity.

But her spokesman has insisted that Ms Ferguson despatched the letter solely in an try and “assuage Epstein and his threats”, claiming that he had threatened to sue her for her feedback within the media.

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The duchess gave an interview to the Evening Standard on 7 March 2011 by which she apologised for accepting £15,000 from Epstein. She went on to problem what appeared on the time to be a heartfelt apology for her affiliation with the disgraced financier, who died in jail eight years later in 2019.

“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,” the duchess advised the newspaper.

“Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

Little over a month later, the duchess despatched an electronic mail from her non-public account to the convicted paedophile, apologising and telling him she had felt “broken and lost” after being advised to not affiliate with him, in keeping with the reviews.

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The electronic mail learn: “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.

“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, the Duke and myself. I was broken and lost.

“So please understand. I didn’t want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in overriding fear. I am sorry.”

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The duchess’s spokesperson has mentioned she was “taken in by his lies” and despatched the e-mail solely to keep away from the specter of defamation.

They mentioned: “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.

“As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia. She does not resile from anything she said then.

“This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”

It comes simply weeks after former UK ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, was sacked by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer on 11 September, after correspondence emerged displaying the Labour grandee expressing help for Epstein.

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He advised the financier to “fight for early release” shortly earlier than he was sentenced to 18 months in jail, and advised him, “I think the world of you” the day earlier than he started his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.

The prime minister had backed Mr Mandelson relating to his hyperlinks with Epstein till the emails emerged, which the Foreign Office mentioned confirmed that “the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.

Epstein was discovered lifeless in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 whereas he awaited trial on sex-trafficking costs. The loss of life was dominated a suicide.