Sarah Ferguson asked Jeffrey Epstein to pay for upgraded flights for her and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie
The ex-duchess seemed comfortable asking for Epstein to put his card on the table.
Former duchess Sarah Ferguson asked convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to cover the cost of an upgrade to flights for her and her two daughters, new emails revealed.
In the recent disclosure of the Epstein files, Ms Ferguson’s close relationship to the disgraced financier was exposed - but it seems their “friendship” also had travel privileges.
According to emails released by the US Department of Justice, Ms Ferguson’s assistant identified as “Amanda” was in touch with Epstein’s manager Lesley Groff in 2009.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.In an email sent to Epstein dated July 23, 2009, Ms Groff said Amanda - believed to be Ms Ferguson’s assistant at the time, Amanda Lewis - had told her that Epstein had “kindly offered to pay for the Duchess to come and visit (him)” in New York.
At the time, Ms Ferguson was purportedly experiencing financial difficulties, and the next day Ms Groff updated Epstein with a further request from the ex-duchess.
“Amanda said the princesses would like to accompany the Duchess and she is wondering if you might be willing to pay for them as well...” she wrote.
Epstein agreed to cover the cost of the flights, and in his reply, asked Ms Groff where Ms Ferguson and the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie would be staying.
Ms Gross told Epstein she would find that out as well as “how old the girls are!”
Another email from the files shows a redacted sender expressing concern that covering the cost of travel for the then-duchess and her daughters carried “crazy high price tags”.
They then asked whether there was any flexibility around the arrangements, but there wasn’t, The Mirror reported.
According to the files, the trio did visit New York City in July that year just after Epstein was released from jail. It is thought Ms Ferguson and the princesses had lunch with Epstein during this visit.
On July 30, 2009, before Ms Ferguson and her daughters flew back to the UK, Ms Groff told Epstein that Amanda had requested the flights home to be upgraded.
“The Duchess has asked that she be in First and the girls in Club on the flight back from NYC to LHR apparently Jeffrey said that this would be ok please can you let me know if you can change this,” the email said.
In his reply, Epstein denied he had said anything to that effect and told Ms Groff not to reply to Amanda.
“I said nothing, do not respond,” Epstein replied. Groff confirmed she would not.
This comes as Ms Ferguson reportedly lies low in Switzerland amid the fallout from her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest over his links with Epstein.
