The family of the late Virginia Giuffre has called the decision of seven charities to cut ties with Sarah Ferguson “commendable” and called on US organisations to follow suit.
Several non-profits, where the Duchess of York serves as patron, announced they would cease association with her after it was revealed that she had sent damaging emails to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in 2011.
The emails revealed that the Duchess of York had reached out to the late disgraced financier, whom she called a "supreme friend," to apologise for publicly disowning him just weeks earlier.
On Monday afternoon, the children’s hospice Julia's House parted company with the Duchess of York - citing the recent disclosures.
The family of Virginia Giuffre have called on other charities to join the seven that have cut ties with Sarah Fergsuon over her emails to Jeffrey Epstein
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That evening, the British Heart Foundation, the Children's Literacy Charity, the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals, the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the Teenage Cancer Trust and Prevent Breast Cancer also announced they would be cutting ties.
Sky Roberts and Daniel Wilson, the brothers of the late Ms Giuffre, welcomed the decision taken by the organisations.
“It is commendable that these seven charities have cut ties with Sarah Ferguson in light of her connections to Epstein,” they said in a family statement.
In their statement, the brothers said that the move had sent a “strong message” about “accountability” for the future.
Sky Roberts and Daniel Wilson, Ms Giuffre's brothers, said 'commended' the decision taken by the charities on Monday
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“This decisive action sends a strong message about accountability," they said in a statement to The Times.
To that end, the brothers suggested that organisations in the US should consider following the lead of the seven British organisations who have already cut ties with the duchess.
“It raises important questions about our own efforts in America," they said.
“We should follow the example set by these organisations and take meaningful steps to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice,” they said.
Fergie has faced intense scrutiny after apologetic emails she had sent to Epstein surfaced over the weekend
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Mr Roberts and Mr Wilson’s sister, Virginia Giuffre, alleged she had been trafficked to Prince Andrew in 2001 by Epstein when she was 17 years old.
The Duke of York has strongly and repeatedly denied the claims against him.
In February 2022, Prince Andrew settled Ms Giuffre’s civil sex assault case against him out of court for an undisclosed fee with no admission of liability.
Ms Giuffre died in April of this year at the age of 41.
In the 2011 emails, Fergie referred to Epstein as her 'supreme friend' and apologised for her public disavowal of him made just weeks earlier
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The resurgence in interest in the Duchess of York’s connection to Epstein was prompted by the release of emails she had sent to the convicted paedophile in 2011.
In March 2011, Fergie had publicly denounced Epstein in a front-page Evening Standard interview after she received financial aid from the disgraced financier to settle debts - which had been facilitated by her ex-husband, Prince Andrew.
However, just weeks later, she was seen to have been in contact with Epstein to profusely apologise for her public comments.
Writing to her “supreme friend”, the duchess penned: “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me from what you were either told or read and I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that.”
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A spokesman for Fergie said the emails had been sent after legal threats from Epstein at the time
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She claimed that she was “instructed to act with the utmost speed if I would have any chance of holding on to my career as a children’s book author and a children’s philanthropist.”
Following the disclosures, Fergie's official spokesman, James Henderson, issued a statement regarding the crisis, claiming the duchess only emailed Epstein after the late paedophile made a phone call threatening her with legal action.
Mr Henderson explained: “People don’t understand how terrible Epstein was. I can remember everything about that call.
"It was a chilling call, and I’m surprised anybody was ever friends with him, given the way he talked to me.
“He said he would destroy the York family, and he was quite clear on that. He said he would destroy me.
"He wasn’t shouting. He had a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. It was very cold and calm and really menacing and nasty,” the spokesman said.