Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has reentered the public conversation surrounding Jeffrey Epstein after previously disclosed correspondence resurfaced in which she wrote, "I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf," a statement that has drawn renewed attention amid continuing scrutiny of Prince Andrew's past association with the convicted sex offender.
The renewed focus follows the ongoing release of Epstein-related documents through U.S. court proceedings and Justice Department disclosures, developments that have intensified examination of individuals who maintained contact with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a criminal offense in connection with Epstein. In 2022, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew would step back from public duties and cease using his HRH style following a civil settlement in the United States with Virginia Giuffre. The settlement was reached without any admission of liability.
Ferguson, widely known as Fergie, divorced Andrew in 1996 after a decade of marriage. Though no longer formally part of the royal working structure, she remained socially connected to the family and faced extensive media coverage in the years following the divorce.
Her past financial difficulties were widely reported in British tabloids. Despite Epstein's conviction, she later acknowledged maintaining contact with him, a decision that prompted criticism focused on judgment rather than allegations of criminal conduct.
In a 2006 interview with the Evening Standard, Ferguson addressed the matter directly. "I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf," she said, describing her association with Epstein as a mistake.
The resurfacing of that quote has coincided with broader public reexamination of Epstein's network. Legal analysts have emphasized that inclusion in released documents does not, in itself, imply wrongdoing. Nonetheless, the optics have proven enduringly problematic for figures whose names appear in correspondence or social records tied to Epstein.
Ferguson's public profile has included both philanthropic work and controversy. In 2010, she was filmed in an undercover News of the World investigation conducted by journalist Mazher Mahmood, posing as a "fake sheikh," during which she appeared to offer access to Prince Andrew in exchange for £500,000. She later issued a public apology, characterizing the episode as a serious lapse in judgment.
Questions have also circulated regarding whether financial assistance connected to Epstein intersected indirectly with aspects of lifestyle expenses for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. No allegations of wrongdoing have been made against either daughter.
