The charitable organization founded by Sarah Ferguson experienced a significant drop in donations before the Jeffrey Epstein scandal came to light, according to recent revelations. Financial records indicate that the income of Sarah’s Trust, established by the former royal Fergie in 2018 to aid global charities addressing poverty, crisis, and inequality, decreased to just £31,000 last year from nearly £150,000 in the previous year.
Following the exposure of the Epstein emails, one of the trustees, prominent London heart surgeon Professor Ramzi Khamis, seemingly resigned. Subsequently, Cambridge University-educated barrister Elizabeth Mitford Ferguson, a close associate of Fergie, was appointed as a replacement trustee in September.
The Charity Commission documents, submitted in August, preceded the public disclosure that Sarah Ferguson referred to Epstein as a “supreme friend” in a 2011 email and later apologized for labeling him a pedophile. Subsequently, she was removed as a patron or ambassador by seven charities in September due to the backlash from the correspondence.
Shortly before these events, Sarah’s Trust submitted its annual report to the Charity Commission, where Ferguson discussed a challenging year that included her battle with skin cancer. In her report, she emphasized the importance of early cancer detection, quality care, and medical research, reaffirming her commitment to humanitarian causes that drive tangible change in people’s lives.
Although she signed the report as The Duchess of York, Ferguson lost her royal title along with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew. Sarah’s Trust highlights her dedication to children’s and wellness causes, particularly in education, emphasizing her hands-on involvement in fundraising efforts for causes aligned with her vision for change.
Despite the turmoil surrounding her connections to Epstein, Ferguson expressed her dedication to uplifting young people and safeguarding the environment. Following King Charles’ decision to strip Andrew of his titles and royal standing due to his association with Epstein, Ferguson also lost her duchess title, leading to the couple’s impending departure from their residence, the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
These developments occurred amid mounting pressure on Prince Andrew following allegations made by Virginia Giuffre in a book before her death. Andrew’s denial of any wrongdoing contrasts with King Charles’ decisions to revoke his remaining titles, including his membership in the Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross, as published in The London Gazette and backdated to October 30. The ongoing fallout from Andrew’s ties to Epstein has also prompted plans to remove his vice-admiral rank in the Royal Navy.
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