Duchess of York calls Epstein a ‘supreme friend’ in resurfaced email

Two newspapers have printed an e mail mentioned to have been despatched by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, calling him a “supreme pal” – regardless of his conviction for intercourse offences. The Solar and the Mail on Sunday reported that the e-mail from 2011 was despatched weeks after the duchess had publicly distanced herself from the disgraced financier.A spokesperson for the duchess – the previous spouse of the Duke of York – mentioned the e-mail was to counter a risk Epstein had made to sue her for defamation.In an interview in 2011, the duchess mentioned her involvement with Epstein had been a “gigantic error of judgment”.On the time, the duchess additionally promised she would by no means have something to do with Epstein once more, saying: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of kids.””I can’t state extra strongly that I do know a horrible, horrible error of judgement was made, my having something to do with Jeffrey Epstein. What he did was incorrect and for which he was rightly jailed,” she added.Epstein had been jailed three years earlier for soliciting prostitution from a minor.However The Solar and Mail on Sunday mentioned shortly after giving the interview in 2011, she emailed Epstein, saying she had not used the phrase “paedophilia” in reference to him him.”As you understand, I didn’t, completely not, say the ‘P phrase’ about you however perceive it was reported that I did,” she wrote. “I do know you are feeling hellaciously let down by me. You may have all the time been a steadfast, beneficiant and supreme pal to me and my household.”A spokesperson for the duchess mentioned the e-mail was despatched after Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation – in an effort to assuage him. “The Duchess spoke of her remorse about her affiliation with Epstein a few years in the past, and as they’ve all the time been, her first ideas are together with his victims,” they mentioned.”Like many individuals, she was taken in by his lies. As quickly as she was conscious of the extent of the allegations in opposition to him, she not solely lower off contact however condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.”The spokesperson added that the duchess stood by her public condemnation of Epstein.”She doesn’t resile from something she mentioned then. This e mail was despatched within the context of recommendation the Duchess was given to attempt to assuage Epstein and his threats.”Epstein, a well-connected financier and convicted intercourse offender, was discovered useless by suicide in 2019 whereas awaiting a trial for intercourse trafficking.