Sarah Ferguson ‘took daughters to visit Epstein’ days after he was released from prison for child sex crimes
New details of Jeffrey Epstein’s relationships with the royals continue to emerge after three million files were released by the US Department of Justice
Sarah Ferguson appears to have taken her daughters to visit Jeffrey Epstein only five days after he was released from prison for child sex crimes, according to newly released documents.
In an email sent to his partner Ghislaine Maxwell on 28 July 2009, the paedophile financier wrote: “ferg and the two girls come [sic] yesterday”.
An email by “Sarah” the day before had asked: “What address shall we come to. It will be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie. Are we having lunch?”
The alleged visit would have taken place in the summer of 2009 when Princess Beatrice and Eugenie were aged between 20 and 19.
The date is less than a week after the disgraced millionaire financier was released from jail after serving time for soliciting a child for prostitution on 22 July 2009 and placed on house arrest.
An email sent the week before, from a redacted email address, appeared to show arrangements being made for the visit.
“Re The Duchess and the girls tickets … would it be ok for me to ask if they are FLEXIBLE when it comes to timing and/or airports? There are several options within OUR parameters, but to match the exact times and airport they want are crazy high price tags.”
A “deeply hurt” Ferguson also accused Epstein of using her to get access to her husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, according to the documents released on Friday.
After the billionaire financier appeared to cut her off, Ferguson sent frustrated and upset messages in quick succession in an apparent effort to reconnect.
She first messaged him on Blackberry messenger to ask about his ‘new baby’ – new revelations from the files suggesting Epstein may have fathered a child before his death in prison.
“Don’t know if you are still on this bbm but heard from The Duke that you have had a baby boy,” she wrote on 21 September 2011 at 6:18am. “Even though you never kept in touch, I still am here with love, friendship and congratualtions [sic] on your baby boy. Sarah xx”.
When she did not receive a reply within eight minutes, she followed up with: “You have disappeared. I did not even know you were having a baby.”
She added: “It was sooooo crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeply. More than you will know.”
The dates of the messages– among a flood of three million documents released by the Department of Justice – appear to be a year after Epstein was released from house arrest.
Among the other messages sent by Ferguson to Epstein are references to the disgraced sex offender being the “brother I have always wished for” before asking for £20,000 to pay for rent following the collapse of a business venture.
The next year, in another email between “Sarah” and Epstein she calls him a “legend” and describes her “gratitude” for him.
She added: “Xx I am at your service . Just marry me”, in an apparent joke.
Several emails showed Epstein wanted Ferguson to say he was “not a pedo” and had been “duped” into believing false allegations about him after she told a newspaper that she wanted “nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again”.
After the revelations, Ferguson’s charity Sarah’s Trust said it would close “for the foreseeable future”.
“This has been under discussion and in train for some months,” the statement continued. “We remain extremely proud of the work of the trust over recent years.”
The organisation was launched in 2020 during the Covid pandemic and provided aid for the NHS, care home and hospice staff.
The Independent has contacted Ms Ferguson for comment on the latest revelations.
In September 2025, when it was revealed that Ms Ferguson had called Epstein her “supreme friend”, a spokesperson said: “The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims. Like many people, she was taken in by his lies.
“As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia. She does not resile from anything she said then.
“This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”
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