Sarah Ferguson's charity closes after Epstein revelations

By Timothy Sigsworth.

Sarah Ferguson's charity has closed days after a wave of revelations about her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

On Monday, Sarah's Trust, founded by the former duchess in 2020, announced that it would "close for the foreseeable future".

Ms Ferguson and her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were friends with Epstein for more than a decade.

Newly-released emails have revealed the depth of her relationship with the paedophile financier, which endured despite his imprisonment in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

A spokesman for Sarah's Trust said: "Our chair Sarah Ferguson and the board of trustees have agreed that, with regret, the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future.

"This has been under discussion and in train for some months. We remain extremely proud of the work of the trust over recent years. We have partnered with over 60 other charities in over 20 countries, providing education, healthcare, crisis response and environmental projects.

"We delivered over 150,000 aid parcels during the Covid pandemic, provided medical aid and training for those affected by the war in Ukraine and delivered education for over 200 children in Ghana."

READ MORE: 'Fergie should have known better than to mention her girls'

READ MORE: Royal acknowledges 'embarrassing' messages with Epstein

READ MORE: By axing Andrew, Charles may have saved the monarchy

Ms Ferguson visited Epstein just five days after he was released from prison for child sex crimes and took Beatrice and Eugenie with her, newly released emails suggest.

In 2009, the former Duchess of York apparently waited less than a week to see the paedophile, who was under house arrest. Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice would have been 19 and 20 at the time.

The emails also revealed that she offered Epstein and his friends VIP tours of Buckingham Palace.

Epstein is known to have visited Buckingham Palace, Sandringham and Balmoral at the invitation of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Ms Ferguson.

His former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of procuring young girls for him, also visited the royal residences.

Files also showed Ms Ferguson thanking Epstein profusely for his assistance in helping her with business contacts, and asking his advice. She called him a "legend" and the "brother I have always wished for", telling him in 2010: "Just marry me."

In March 2011, Ms Ferguson admitted borrowing £15,000 from Epstein. In an interview with the Evening Standard, she called that a "terrible, terrible error of judgment" and said: "I abhor paedophilia."

The emails also showed that Epstein tried to persuade the former duchess to issue a statement in March 2011 saying he was "not a pedo" and she had been "duped" into believing false allegations about him.

Another email, released on Friday, revealed an invitation Ms Ferguson sent Epstein for Andrew's 50th birthday at St James' Palace.

She wrote there would be "mysterious mischief" at the event on Feb 26 2010, but Epstein later responded to the question of whether he could attend with: "Not able."

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2026

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.