• Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, dropped by several charities over Epstein email.
• Ferguson's email referred to Epstein as a "supreme friend" despite her previous denouncements.
• Charities include Julia's House and others, citing appropriateness concerns.
• Ferguson's spokesperson defended the email as a response to alleged threats from Epstein.
• The fallout continues amid ongoing scrutiny of her ex-husband, Prince Andrew's, connections to Epstein.

Several UK charities have cut ties with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, following revelations regarding an email in which she referred to Jeffrey Epstein as a "supreme friend." Julia's House, a children's hospice charity, stated that the correspondence made it inappropriate for Ferguson to continue as a patron, highlighting the shift in perception due to the email's content according to BBC, Le Monde, and Reuters.

The email, reportedly from 2011, surfaced in British media and contradicted her previous statements in which she publicly distanced herself from Epstein, claiming her past association was a "gigantic error of judgment." Ferguson had been quoted expressing remorse over the loan she received from Epstein, further complicating her public persona as a charity supporter according to South China Morning Post and CBS News.

In addition to Julia's House, other organizations, including the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and Prevent Breast Cancer, announced they were severing ties with Ferguson. Statements released by charity leaders expressed their disturbance over the revelations, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining a positive image amidst troubling allegations linked to Epstein according to BBC and Le Monde.

Ferguson's spokesperson has defended her actions, stating the email was sent under the duress of potential legal action from Epstein, who had threatened a defamation lawsuit in response to Ferguson's negative comments about him in the media. This context has not alleviated the backlash, as public sentiment remains critical amid ongoing scrutiny of the Duchess and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, for their associations with Epstein according to South China Morning Post and Reuters.