Princess Beatrice Advised Mother on Epstein Backtrack Strategy
Princess Beatrice actively advised her mother, Sarah Ferguson, on how to publicly backtrack after the former Duchess of York upset Jeffrey Epstein by calling him a paedophile, according to newly released emails. The correspondence reveals Beatrice, then aged 22, agreed with her mother that it was important to brief the press that Epstein had done his penance in prison for soliciting sex from underage girls.
Direct Involvement in Reputation Management
Fergie claimed in the emails that Beatrice was present when she telephoned a journalist to state it was wrong to label Epstein a paedophile. She wrote: Beatrice and I had a discussion and we agreed it was important. This intervention occurred as Fergie attempted to salvage her friendship with the convicted sex offender, who was furious about her public comments.
Separate correspondence from 2015 shows Epstein telling a friend not to worry about meeting Beatrice at an event in Mexico because she liked him. This support from Beatrice preceded her later involvement in Prince Andrew's disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview by eight years.
Connection to Prince Andrew's Interview
Beatrice reportedly played a key role in facilitating her father's catastrophic interview with Emily Maitlis. She attended a pre-production meeting with producer Sam McAlister, taking notes with a notebook and pen. During the interview itself, Beatrice became Andrew's alibi when he claimed he was collecting her from a Pizza Express party on the night Virginia Giuffre alleges they had sex.
This followed an earlier controversial episode where Fergie took Beatrice and her younger sister Eugenie to visit Epstein in Florida just days after his release from prison in 2009. While the sisters initially appeared to be bystanders in their parents' relationship with the late paedophile, the emails suggest Beatrice took a more active role in managing the fallout.
Family Reactions and Further Revelations
Both Beatrice and Eugenie are said to be appalled and embarrassed by their parents' long association with Epstein. Sources close to the sisters indicate they are particularly distressed by photos showing their father crouching over a mystery woman in Epstein's New York mansion.
The email cache reveals Fergie told Epstein in July 2011 how she had discussed restoring his reputation with Beatrice. After Epstein expressed anger about Fergie calling it a gigantic error to accept his financial help, she privately sought to correct her public statements distancing herself from him.
Fergie vehemently denied calling Epstein a paedophile in the emails, writing: I did NOT. I would NOT. She expressed concern about Epstein receiving death threats and losing $50 million in business deals due to the controversy.
Royal Invitations and Family Events
The Epstein Files further reveal that Sarah Ferguson and her daughters invited the convicted sex offender to Prince Andrew's intimate 50th birthday party at St James's Palace in February 2010. The invitation, sent just months after Epstein's release from prison for child sex offences, requested his presents, presence and your humour for the private family event.
Fergie promised the exclusive reception would feature some of her own mysterious mischief. The guest list included notable figures such as Naomi Campbell, Sir David Frost, and Richard Branson's children, though Epstein ultimately declined the invitation.
This followed Andrew hosting Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge for Beatrice's 18th birthday in 2006, despite an existing arrest warrant for the paedophile financier. The family's connections to Epstein continued even as he brokered deals to settle Fergie's substantial debts.
Beatrice has not been seen publicly since the latest Epstein Files emerged, while Fergie has gone into hiding. Eugenie recently appeared at an art fair in Doha, continuing her work as a director for Hauser & Wirth amid the ongoing family scandal.
