Several charities in the United Kingdom have ended their relationships with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, following the publication of an email she reportedly sent to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The email, which surfaced in British newspapers, described Epstein as a "supreme friend."

Julia's House, a children's hospice, announced on Monday that it would no longer have Ferguson as a patron. The charity stated that the email made it inappropriate for her to continue in that role. "Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of York's correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia's House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity," the organization said. They expressed gratitude for her past support.

Other charities, including the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and Prevent Breast Cancer, also severed ties with Ferguson in light of the recent revelations. The Teenage Cancer Trust, which had a 35-year association with her, also dropped her as a patron.

Ferguson's spokesperson explained that she sent the email on the advice of her lawyers after Epstein threatened to sue her for comments made during a media interview. In a 2011 interview with the Evening Standard, Ferguson had apologized for accepting a £15,000 loan from Epstein, calling it a "gigantic error of judgment." She stated, "I abhor pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children, and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again."

However, shortly after that interview, Ferguson sent an email to Epstein in which she "humbly apologized" for linking him to sexual abuse. In the email, she referred to him as a "steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family." The authenticity of the email has not been independently verified.

Ferguson's former husband, Prince Andrew, has faced scrutiny for his connections to Epstein. He was forced to step back from royal duties following a controversial BBC interview in 2019, where he failed to adequately address his relationship with Epstein and did not show sympathy for Epstein's victims.

The recent developments come amid ongoing concerns about Andrew's past associations with Epstein, including leaked communications that suggest he remained in contact with Epstein longer than previously claimed. Andrew had stated that he ceased all contact with Epstein in December 2010, after Epstein's guilty plea to sex crimes in Florida.

Ferguson, who divorced Andrew in 1996, has since sought to redefine her public image as an author and charity patron. She has remained supportive of Andrew, who is the younger brother of King Charles III, despite the controversies surrounding him.