They are the damning photos which show just how close Sarah Ferguson became to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Two decades after these snaps surfaced, showing the Duchess of York posing with Epstein’s staff, Fergie’s reputation has taken a severe blow following new revelations that she cynically lied about her association with him.
**Private Messages Reveal Deception**
Bombshell emails obtained by The Mail on Sunday revealed that only weeks after publicly disowning the vile billionaire in 2011, Sarah Ferguson wrote him a gushing private message calling him a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.” She also admitted that she distanced herself from Epstein publicly only to save her own reputation.
**Charities Sever Ties**
The duchess faced further humiliation when seven charities publicly cut ties with her after these damaging revelations. Others are said to be reviewing their connections following the publication of her grovelling messages to the notorious sex predator.
This mounting pressure puts the King in a difficult position, potentially prompting him to expunge Sarah and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, from even private family events and find a way to finally evict them from Royal Lodge, their Windsor mansion.
**Charity Patronages Withdrawn**
Children’s hospice Julia’s House was the first to sever ties, saying the correspondence made it “inappropriate for her to continue as a patron.”
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, established in memory of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died aged 15 from an allergic reaction, also dropped Sarah as a patron after being “disturbed” by the revelations.
In what is a particularly devastating blow, given her own diagnosis in 2023, she was dropped by Prevent Breast Cancer. The charity stated: “The Duchess of York is no longer a patron of Prevent Breast Cancer. We have advised her of this decision and thank her for her past support.”
A few hours later, the Children’s Literacy Charity asked her to step down as patron, calling any continued role “inappropriate,” before the Teenage Cancer Trust, one of her longest-standing patronages since 1990, joined the growing list. Notably, her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie remain patrons of this charity.
The British Heart Foundation followed suit by swiftly removing her photograph from its website. They said: “Sarah, Duchess of York, is no longer serving as an ambassador. We are grateful for the Duchess’s support for our work and thank her for her past efforts.”
Lastly, the National Foundation For Retired Service Animals announced they had “mutually agreed” that she would “step back from her position as patron with immediate effect.”
**Photos Show Close Ties with Epstein’s Staff**
Now, cosy photos with Epstein’s staff add to the fallout surrounding Sarah. In a series of snaps, the Duchess posed with JoJo Fontanilla, one of Epstein’s drivers, and Jun-Lyn Fontanilla, one of his housekeepers, at his $60 million New York mansion.
Sarah and Prince Andrew appeared in multiple images with their arms around the Fontanillas, illustrating just how close they were to the late financier.
These images were posted on Facebook in 2010 — the same year Andrew claimed to have broken off his friendship with Epstein — although they could have been taken earlier.
**Contradictions in Public and Private Statements**
The Duchess had admitted to the Evening Standard in March 2011 that it was a “gigantic error of judgment” to accept £15,000 from Epstein to pay off her debts. However, the following month she sent him a fawning email, describing him as her “supreme friend” and claiming she only spoke out publicly because she feared her career as a children’s author would be destroyed.
These photos demonstrate that Andrew and Sarah were not simply on good terms with their paedophile friend — they were close to his staff, too.
The pictures show the Duchess standing with JoJo Fontanilla on the streets of Manhattan, smiling and holding a bag. In another image, she puts both hands around the shoulders of Jun-Lyn Fontanilla, while in a separate snap she stands with both Fontanillas, wearing a brightly coloured scarf.
Most images seem to have been taken inside Epstein’s Manhattan home, which was decorated with creepy elements, including a bride clinging to a rope in the central atrium.
One commenter wrote: “Wow! You are in the company of royalty!” The blurry photo of Andrew was posted by Jun-Lyn and shows him standing with her and her husband.
**Extended Ties with Epstein**
Previously released records have shown the depth of the friendship between Andrew, Sarah, and Epstein, who hanged himself in 2019 while awaiting trial for child sex trafficking.
Andrew knew Epstein for at least a decade. Emails suggest they stayed in contact after 2010, the year Andrew claimed in his disastrous BBC interview that he ended their friendship.
Flight logs from Epstein’s planes reveal that he met the Duchess in 1998 in the Bahamas, where she was travelling with her children. Sarah even appears to have visited Epstein while he was under house arrest for having sex with underage girls.
**Visits During House Arrest**
Epstein began a 13-month sentence for soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008 and was released in July 2009. During his 12-month house arrest, he was allowed to fly to his New York home under conditions set by a Florida court, which expired in July 2010.
A calendar entry dated March 3, 2010, showed Epstein’s assistant wrote: “Still need to try and schedule the Duchess for Tues or Wed (I have emailed her assistant, Amanda, RE a meeting).”
‘Amanda’ appears to be Amanda Thirsk, who worked for the Royal Household for decades. Epstein replied: “Duchess anytime.”
**Official Responses and Potential Impact**
A spokesman for the Duchess declined to comment on these developments, though it is widely believed they will have hit her hard.
Throughout her public travails—marked by disastrous business decisions and spendthrift habits that twice brought her close to bankruptcy—Sarah has prided herself on being a “global philanthropist.”
These revelations are likely to have a knock-on effect on her current business ventures, which include children’s books, historical romances, film consultancy roles, and a recently launched range of teas.
The scandal has also caused concern at Buckingham Palace, even though Sarah holds no official public roles and the royal household has little control over her actions and statements.
In recent years, she has been somewhat rehabilitated, allowed to attend the Royal Family’s non-official events, such as the annual walk to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day and Easter services at Windsor. She and Andrew were also present at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral last week.
**Prince Andrew’s Situation**
Andrew receives no public funds or taxpayer-funded security. The King stripped him of his personal stipend, previously paid by Queen Elizabeth II, in hopes of forcing him to downsize from Royal Lodge and adopt a more frugal lifestyle.
King Charles has offered to reinstate Andrew’s personal funding and assist with private security costs if he agrees to downsize. However, Andrew has resisted, citing a cast-iron lease with the Crown Estate, stating that as long as he makes the payments, he cannot be evicted.
The loss of Sarah’s business deals due to this scandal could further compound the couple’s financial difficulties—a situation that may work to the King’s advantage.
Some insiders believe that Sarah has become the main breadwinner, increasingly bailing out Andrew. If her commercial ventures suffer, the couple may have no choice but to downsize and seek help from the King.
**Financial Ties to Epstein**
In 2010, when Sarah faced nearly £5 million in debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy for a second time, Epstein—through a deal orchestrated by Andrew—agreed to fund a £15,000 payoff to her then-personal assistant for unpaid wages and bills.
The public outcry forced Sarah to issue a “heartfelt apology” for accepting the cash, expressing regret and calling it a “gigantic error of judgment.”
However, as revealed by The Mail on Sunday, just weeks later she sent Epstein a “desperate email” in which she said: “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”
Referring to “paedophile” as the “P word,” she added: “I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P’ word about you but understand that it was reported that I did.”
She went on to complain that both she and Epstein “are, and have both been, in the firing line” and have “both [been] blamed for stuff we have not done.”
**Official Stance**
A spokesman for the Duchess has stated: “She deeply regrets any association with him and abhors paedophilia. She has worked for many years to support vulnerable young people. Like many people, she was taken in by his lies.”
The Daily Mail has contacted Epstein’s lawyers for comment.
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This exposé raises serious questions about Sarah Ferguson’s judgement and her connections, spotlighting a scandal that continues to reverberate through the Royal Family and charitable organizations alike.
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