Sarah Ferguson, Jeffrey Epstein emails show former Duchess of York shared goddaughter’s details after prison

Sarah Ferguson shared the contact details of her 22-year-old goddaughter with Jeffrey Epstein just over a year after he was released from prison for child sex offences, newly released emails appear to show.

In a message dated November 12, 2010, the former Duchess of York forwarded the young woman’s information to Epstein with the words: “Over to you!”

The contact details belonged to Poppy Cotterell, the daughter of Ferguson’s former lady-in-waiting. Correspondence included in the latest tranche of Epstein files suggests the late billionaire was considering employing Ms Cotterell and making a $100,000 donation in her name to a health charity.

The timing of the email is likely to draw fresh scrutiny. Epstein had been released from a Florida jail just weeks earlier after serving time for prostituting minors as young as 14.

The disclosure forms part of a new batch of documents released by US authorities relating to Epstein’s network of contacts, a development that has again cast a spotlight on members of the royal family.

Like her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Ferguson’s association with Epstein has faced renewed attention in recent months.

Earlier emails made public showed her describing Epstein as her “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” — a message sent only weeks after she had publicly referred to their relationship as a “terrible, terrible error of judgement”.

She had also claimed she would have “nothing to do” with Epstein again.

The latest series of emails appears to sit uneasily alongside those earlier statements. In one message sent weeks after his release from prison, Ferguson praised Epstein as the “brother (I) have always wished for”.

The following year, she wrote: “You are a legend. I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Xx I am at your service. Just marry me”.

Other correspondence between the pair appears to show Ferguson repeatedly seeking financial assistance from Epstein to help pay off debts over a period of years.

Ferguson has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing, and inclusion in the documents is not evidence of illegality.

However, the reputational fallout has been significant. Following earlier disclosures about her ties to Epstein, she was dropped by seven charities with which she had been associated.

The renewed scrutiny comes after Andrew was arrested at Sandringham last week on suspicion of public misconduct relating to his former role as a UK trade envoy. He was released after 11 hours in custody and has not been charged, but remains under investigation.

A royal source shared that Ferguson is struggling in the wake of the latest revelations, News.com.au revealed.

“She sounds in a bad way. She’s been telling people she is really suffering with her mental health and thinks everyone is out to get her,” the insider revealed.

“But at the same time she is adamant that she wants to get out there and start earning money again. I can’t see how she’s going to do it. Her brand is toxic.

“Her best hope of a money-spinner is a tell-all book about how her family’s friendship with Epstein has destroyed everything and left the monarchy in crisis – but she’s ruled that out apparently.

“Besides she might end up having to tell that story to the police and a judge and jury or to some other form of inquiry.”

Ferguson has yet to publicly comment on the latest release of documents.