Charities cut ties with Sarah, Duchess of York

Charities have cut ties with Sarah, Duchess of York, over her ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The organisations have removed Sarah as their patron following media reports of an email where she reportedly called Epstein a “supreme friend.”

The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, National Foundation for Retired Service Animals, the Children’s Literacy Charity, the Teenage Cancer Trust, Prevent Breast Cancer, and Julia’s House have removed Sarah as patron. The British Heart Foundation also announced that she would no longer serve as its ambassador.

The Sun newspaper reported that Sarah sent an email to the sex offender in 2011 after giving an interview where she said she was going to cut ties with him.

Her spokesperson, who declined to comment to Reuters, has previously said Fergie (as she is commonly known) only reached out to Epstein because she was afraid he could sue her for defamation.

Sarah, Duchess of York, was married to Prince Andrew from 1986 to 1996. The Prince has also come under fire for his friendship and association with Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019. The Duke of York stepped back from his public roles within the Royal Family, and his royal patronages and honorary military affiliations were revoked by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.