Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has spoken of her profound shock at receiving a final, heartbreaking letter from disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein just days before he took his own life in a Manhattan jail cell.
The personal correspondence, sent from Epstein's £70 million Upper East Side mansion, arrived at the Duchess's home in Royal Lodge, Windsor, a mere two days before he was found dead in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
In a candid revelation, the Duchess described Epstein, a man since revealed to be at the centre of a global sex trafficking ring, as a 'dear friend' and expressed her devastation at his passing. The content of the letter itself has not been disclosed.
The emergence of this final communication adds a new, complex layer to the Duchess's previously known association with the convicted sex offender. Her ties to Epstein have long been a source of controversy and scrutiny, particularly following his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Ferguson's comments were made during the promotion of her new romantic novel, A Most Intriguing Lady. She stated the letter was 'such a shock' to receive and that his subsequent death was 'another piece of heartbreak'.
This disclosure is likely to reignite debate over the extent of the British social and elite's connections to Epstein and the nature of those relationships. A spokesperson for the Duchess has been contacted for further comment regarding the letter and her association with Epstein.
