Sarah Ferguson’s global charity, Sarah’s Trust, has disclosed its decision to temporarily shut down following recent revelations regarding the ex-duchess’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A spokesperson for Sarah’s Trust conveyed that the closure was a mutual agreement between Sarah Ferguson and the board of trustees after months of deliberation. The charity expressed pride in its accomplishments, highlighting collaborations with 60 charities across 20 nations, focusing on education, healthcare, crisis intervention, and environmental initiatives. Notably, the organization distributed over 150,000 aid packages during the COVID-19 crisis, offered medical support in conflict-ridden Ukraine, and facilitated education for more than 200 children in Ghana.
The closure announcement comes in the wake of the release of over three million documents from Epstein’s estate, which included emails from the Duchess of York lauding Epstein as a cherished friend and expressing willingness to support him. The emails, dating back to 2009, illustrated Ferguson’s admiration for Epstein’s support and his role in her professional endeavors. Despite the correspondence, appearing in the Epstein files does not imply any misconduct on the duchess’s part.
Additional documents uncovered invitations from Sarah Ferguson to Epstein for her 50th birthday celebration at St James’s Palace in 2010, following Epstein’s release from jail for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Despite previously denouncing any association with Epstein, the ex-duchess’s communications revealed a friendly tone towards him, referring to him as her “supreme friend” in 2011.
Noteworthy was an email from Ghislaine Maxwell to an individual identified as “A,” speculated to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, where she addressed the recipient as “sweet pea” and expressed condolences for the Queen mother’s demise. Maxwell described the Queen mother as wonderful, expressing gratitude for their encounter and planning to reschedule their meeting. Andrew has consistently refuted any allegations of misconduct.