Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has been removed as patron of Julia’s House children’s hospice following revelations that she once described convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.”
The decision came after media reports unveiled a 2011 email in which Ferguson apologized to Epstein for publicly distancing herself from him, only weeks earlier. In that interview, she had said she would never again associate with him.
Several other charities, including those focused on cancer, literacy, allergies, and women’s health, also said the leaked correspondence made her continued patronage untenable. Ferguson’s representatives say the email was written under legal pressure, and issued statements expressing remorse over her past relationship with Epstein.
The controversy has sparked debate over trust, philanthropic standards, and how charitable organizations should handle associations with public figures once private communications come to light.