Sarah Ferguson says her apology email to Jeffrey Epstein was an attempt to protect her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
The Duchess of York received support yesterday from football WAG Lizzie Cundy, 57, who revealed she had spoken with her amid the email scandal.
Asked about Fergie’s feelings on Jeremy Vine, the TV personality said, “She is regretful, she wishes she'd never met Jeffrey Epstein, but there are reasons why she sent that email.”
Cundy added, “The fact is, he was enraged that she'd publicly condemned him - he was absolutely beyond, saying, ‘I'm going to get revenge, I'm going to ruin your family.’”
“It was threatening, it was very dark and she felt she had no choice but to try and appease him - she was scared for herself, for her family,’” she stated.
Cundy noted Epstein was seen as one of the world’s most powerful men, saying the Duchess was misled like many others, including the Clintons and Peter Mandelson.
Vine mentioned Cundy had spoken to the Duchess within 24 hours while stressing Epstein was a convicted paedophile.
Cundy replied, “He was. It's wrong. She's very, very sorry. But the fact is, when she did condemn him, she did publicly, it got very, very nasty.”
She continued, “He got huge lawyers on to her as well - she thought it was going to be embarrassing not just for her own family but the rest of the Royal Family and she felt that was the only option she had.”
Previously, the Duchess of York spokesman James Henderson stepped out on Monday to clarify that the late sex offender threatened to destroy the York's family in a 'chilling' phone call.
Shortly after the email was revealed by Dailymail on Sunday, Ferguson has been dropped as patron from seven charities, including the Teenage Cancer Trust and British Heart Foundation.
