Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was allegedly subjected to a “Hannibal Lecter-style” phone call from Jeffrey Epstein in 2011, during which the disgraced financier threatened to “destroy her” and her family, according to her then-spokesperson James Henderson. The call came after Ferguson publicly distanced herself from Epstein, describing him as a paedophile in a newspaper interview.
Henderson told the Telegraph that Epstein’s call was “chilling” and “really menacing and nasty”, delivered in a cold, calm voice. Epstein was incensed by Ferguson’s comments and threatened legal action. Following the call, Ferguson sent an apologetic email to Epstein, referring to him as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” and expressing regret for her public criticism.
The email, which emerged this week, has led several charities to sever ties with the duchess. The Teenage Cancer Trust ended her 35-year patronage, while Julia’s House, Prevent Breast Cancer, the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals also cut connections. The British Heart Foundation confirmed Ferguson is no longer a serving ambassador.
Ferguson had accepted £15,000 from Epstein to pay off debts, a decision she later called a “terrible error of judgment”. In her 2011 interview with the Evening Standard, she stated: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children.” Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges; his death was ruled a suicide.
