Two newspapers have published an email said to have been sent by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, calling him a supreme friend - despite his conviction for sex offences.
The Sun and the Mail on Sunday reported that the email, from 2011, was sent weeks after the duchess had publicly distanced herself from the disgraced financier.
A spokesperson for the duchess - the former wife of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York - stated that the email was a response to a threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation.
In a 2011 interview, the duchess labeled her involvement with Epstein a gigantic error of judgment.
At the time, she vowed never to associate with Epstein again, claiming: I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children.
She emphasized, I cannot state more strongly that I know a terrible, terrible error of judgement was made in having anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein. What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.
However, shortly after her interview, the duchess emailed Epstein to clarify that she did not use the term paedophilia in relation to him. She wrote: As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the 'P word' about you but understand it was reported that I did.
She expressed her sentiments towards Epstein, stating: You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.
The duchess's spokesperson reiterated that this email came as a strategy to mitigate Epstein's legal threats, affirming her ongoing regret for her past association with him.
Epstein, a well-connected financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead by suicide in 2019 while awaiting a trial for sex trafficking in New York.
