Dozens of charities in the United Kingdom, including the Prince’s Trust, this past week severed their relationships with Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew. This decision followed the exposure of a highly controversial 2011 email. This email called convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein his “supreme friend.” The fallout has been swift—at last count, at least six organizations have either ended or announced they will end their relationships with her. These movements unfold against the backdrop of Ferguson’s recent statements regarding her years-long career as a children’s book author and philanthropist.
In the email sent to Epstein, Ferguson revealed that she had been instructed to give a critical interview about him weeks earlier. She said her goal was to protect her legacy, especially as it pertains to her contributions to children’s literature and philanthropy. The letter writing campaign was just one prong in her campaign to beat back the danger of potential Epstein defamation lawsuits.
After the email’s release, many of the charities that Ferguson had previously supported announced they would no longer accept funds with her. Each organization thanked her for all she had done, but underscored their mutual decision to part ways and pursue their own paths. This decision reflects the increasing scrutiny toward any associations with people connected to Epstein. He’s been at the center of many of the last decade’s biggest scandals.
Ferguson’s spokesperson has been quiet on the $1 million action taken against the charities. Her email’s backlash has already raised further questions about her close ties with Prince Andrew. Though he’s publicly withdrawn due to their relationship’s linkage to his Epstein ties, their friendship continues to be fruitful. The close connection between the former couple continued, with Ferguson sticking by Andrew through his various scandals.
Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles. He’s taken tremendous heat from the public on account of this – friendship with Epstein and the accusations that go with it. While Ferguson has to deal with the fallout from her communication history, her connections to Andrew still grab national headlines.
Not only has Ferguson, an accomplished children’s book author and early literacy philanthropist, garnered praise in the world of children’s publishing. The resurrection of her 2011 email have supplanted her previous contributions. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents like this have led to a reexamination of her reputation and ties to charitable organizations.
