Fergie issued an apology to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein for distancing herself from him and described him as a “supreme friend” due to his legal threats against her, according to her spokesperson.
The former wife of the Duke of York’s email to Epstein, dated April 26 2011, emerged weeks after she publicly declared to journalists she would “never have anything to do with” the sex offender again, reports suggest.
The correspondence, revealed by The Sun newspaper, demonstrated how the duchess “humbly apologised” to Epstein for connecting him to paedophilia in press coverage, describing him as “steadfast” and “generous”.
Read more: Killer can ‘look forward to days out’
Her spokesperson confirmed it was dispatched “in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats”.
The duchess’s conversation with the Evening Standard on March 7 2011 saw her express regret for accepting £15,000 from Epstein, reports the Mirror.
She informed 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 Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York has issued an apology for her letter to Jeffrey Epstein -Credit:Getty Images
Reports indicate that slightly more than a month afterwards, the duchess was apparently dispatching an email from her personal account to the sex offender, expressing remorse and revealing she was “bedridden with fear”.
Her correspondence stated: “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.”
It 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, 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 over-riding fear. I am sorry.”
The duchess’s representative revealed that Epstein had made legal threats against her for defamation following her public condemnation linking him to paedophilia.
The representative explained: “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.”
Epstein was discovered deceased in his prison cell at a federal facility in Manhattan during August 2019 whilst awaiting trial on sex-trafficking allegations.
Officials determined the death to be suicide.