The latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein documents, released by the U.S. Department of Justice in late January 2026 (totaling over three million pages under the Epstein Files Transparency Act), has once again thrust the York family into the spotlight. This release includes previously unseen emails and details that implicate Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York (now 66), in ongoing communications with Epstein years after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The revelations have intensified scrutiny on her daughters, Princess Beatrice (37) and Princess Eugenie (35), who appear peripherally referenced and are described in media reports as deeply affected.

Key details from the documents center on Ferguson’s interactions with Epstein starting around 2009, shortly after his release from prison in July 2009 (he served 13 months of an 18-month sentence and was placed under house arrest). Emails suggest Ferguson traveled to Miami with Beatrice (then 20) and Eugenie (then 19) just five days after Epstein’s release, staying at a residence and apparently meeting him for lunch or a social visit. One email chain references flight arrangements paid for by Epstein’s team for “The Duchess and the girls” from Heathrow, with follow-up messages confirming their presence (e.g., Ferguson noting they stayed at “Phillip Levine house with the girls” and arranged cars). In an August 2009 email, Ferguson reportedly thanked Epstein for his “kindness” in front of her daughters, implying a recent in-person compliment or interaction.

The correspondence shows effusive language from Ferguson toward Epstein, including calling him “a legend,” expressing profound “love [and] gratitude for your generosity and kindness,” and phrases like “I am at your service. Just marry me” (in a 2010 message) and references to him as “the brother I have always wished for.” Other exchanges highlight her financial desperation at the time, with requests for help on debts, charity ventures, and business deals. One disturbing 2009 email appears to jokingly suggest Epstein “marry” her and employ another woman she described as “single” with a “great body.” A crude 2010 remark from Ferguson referenced Eugenie returning from a “shagging weekend” (at age 19, early in her relationship with now-husband Jack Brooksbank).

Additional emails mention the daughters in passing, such as Epstein inquiring if one could show a contact around Buckingham Palace, or Ferguson apologizing that “the girls were not around this weekend” due to travel and social plans. There are no allegations in the files of wrongdoing by Beatrice or Eugenie themselves—they were young adults at the time and not accused of any involvement beyond these social mentions.

Impact on Beatrice and Eugenie

Media coverage, including reports from the BBC, People, The Guardian, and others, portrays the princesses as “appalled,” “devastated,” and “mortified” by the resurfaced details. Sources close to them describe shock at learning the extent of their parents’ ties to Epstein, whom they reportedly knew little about at the time. As mothers themselves—Beatrice to daughter Sienna and stepson Wolfie, Eugenie to sons August and Ernest—they are said to prioritize shielding their children from the scandal’s long shadow. The sisters have long worked to carve independent paths: Beatrice in business and charity, Eugenie in the art world and anti-slavery advocacy. Yet, each Epstein file release drags them back into headlines associating the York name with controversy.

Insiders suggest a growing rift, with the sisters demanding accountability from their mother. Their once-close “tripod” dynamic with Ferguson (and loyalty to their father amid his own Epstein fallout) appears strained. Public sympathy for them remains high, as they are viewed as collateral damage in their parents’ choices—loyal through divorces, scandals, and Andrew’s loss of titles and public role, but now facing renewed humiliation.

The broader royal family has maintained distance. King Charles’s slimmed-down monarchy leaves little tolerance for peripheral scandals. Prince Edward recently commented on the importance of transparency amid the files’ release, marking rare family acknowledgment without directly addressing the Yorks.

Ferguson’s charity, Sarah’s Trust, announced closure shortly after the latest disclosures, citing the need to step back amid backlash. She has previously apologized for her Epstein friendship but denies full recollection of certain meetings. No new criminal implications arise for her from these files—association alone fuels the narrative.

This chapter underscores the persistent Epstein legacy for the Yorks: a reminder of poor judgment in pursuit of financial or social support, with Beatrice and Eugenie bearing the reputational cost through no fault of their own. As more documents emerge, their efforts to build stable, scandal-free lives continue under intense public gaze.