Kamal Ghorui
Newly released emails show that Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, remained in contact with Jeffrey Epstein after his release from jail following his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.The emails form part of a vast cache of Epstein-related documents released by the US government in January. They shed fresh light on Epstein’s relationships with prominent figures after his imprisonment and suggest that Ferguson’s association with him continued for years beyond what had previously been publicly acknowledged.
Details of the correspondence were first reported by the Daily Mail, which said the emails reveal both the tone of Ferguson’s private messages to Epstein and her willingness to assist him during that period.
‘Just marry me’ email revealed
According to the report, one of the emails, sent in 2010, included a message in which Ferguson told Epstein “just marry me”. The full context of the remark is not disclosed in the released documents, but the wording forms part of a broader pattern of warm and supportive language used by Ferguson in her correspondence with him.In other emails from the same period, she reportedly expressed gratitude for Epstein’s generosity and described him in highly affectionate terms, despite his criminal conviction and growing public scrutiny.
Offers of VIP access to royal properties
The released emails also suggest that Ferguson offered to help arrange privileged access to royal locations. In a June 2009 message, she told Epstein she could “organise anything” after he asked about arranging a special experience in London for an associate.Subsequent correspondence cited in the reports indicates that Epstein later told others that Ferguson had suggested the possibility of organising tea at Buckingham Palace apartments or at Windsor Castle during visits to the UK. The documents do not confirm that such visits took place, only that the offers were discussed.Epstein is known to have visited several royal residences in the past, including Buckingham Palace, Sandringham and Balmoral, during periods when he was associated with members of the royal family.
Continued contact after conviction
Epstein served time in jail and under house arrest after his 2008 conviction and was released in 2009. Despite this, the emails suggest that Ferguson’s contact with him continued into at least 2011.According to the documents, Epstein sought Ferguson’s help in responding to allegations against him and encouraged her to issue statements defending his reputation. Draft statements were reportedly prepared with the assistance of a US publicist.After Ferguson gave a public interview in which she said she “abhorred paedophilia”, she later emailed Epstein to apologise, insisting she had not called him a paedophile. A spokesman for Ferguson has previously said some of the messages were intended to calm Epstein after he threatened legal action for defamation.
Wider scrutiny of royal links
The disclosures add to long-running scrutiny of Epstein’s connections with the British royal family and other high-profile figures following his release from jail. Epstein died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence in the United States.Ferguson, who divorced Prince Andrew in 1996, has previously described her association with Epstein as a serious error of judgment. The newly released emails, however, suggest that their relationship continued well beyond his conviction, prompting renewed public and media attention.
