Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has been dropped by several charities after a resurfaced email from 2011 revealed her close correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

On September 22, the children’s hospice Julia’s House confirmed it had cut ties with the Duchess following reports that she referred to Epstein as her “supreme friend.” In a statement to NBC News, the organization said:

“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 patron of the charity. We have advised the Duchess of York of this decision and thank her for her past support.”

According to the BBC, at least six other charities have also severed their relationship with Ferguson, who is now 65.

A spokesperson for the Duchess declined to comment on the charities’ decisions but emphasized her regret, telling NBC:

“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 pedophilia. She does not resile from anything she said.”

The controversy erupted after British newspapers The Mail on Sunday and The Sun released a 2011 email on September 20, in which Ferguson wrote to Epstein:

“I know you feel hellishly let down by me, and I most humbly apologize to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous, and supreme friend to me and my family.”

The email was allegedly sent just weeks after she had publicly distanced herself from Epstein, following his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Epstein was later arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges but was found dead in his Manhattan prison cell that same year. His death was ruled a suicide.

The resurfaced correspondence has reignited scrutiny over Ferguson’s past ties to Epstein, and the backlash has now cost her long-standing charitable affiliations.