Sarah Ferguson’s charitable foundation has formally closed after completing the legal process to wind up its operations.
According to BBC News, Sarah’s Trust, established by the former Duchess of York in 2020, is now listed as “removed” on the public register of charities, bringing the organisation to an official end months after it announced it would cease operating.
The charity confirmed in February that it would close “for the foreseeable future”, saying the decision had followed “some months” of discussions. At the time, no further explanation was provided for the move.
However, the announcement came just days after fresh documents released by the US Department of Justice renewed scrutiny of the Duchess’s past friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Among millions of documents published earlier this year were emails that appeared to show Ferguson remained in contact with Epstein while he was serving a prison sentence in 2009 for soliciting sex from a minor. Being named in the released documents does not, in itself, indicate any wrongdoing.
The correspondence reportedly included messages in which Ferguson described Epstein as “the brother I have always wished for” and suggested she met him in Miami shortly after his release from prison.
Representatives for Sarah Ferguson have not publicly commented on the newly completed closure of Sarah’s Trust.
According to its website, Sarah’s Trust was dedicated to supporting grassroots organisations tackling humanitarian and environmental challenges, food insecurity and the causes of extreme poverty.
Sarah Ferguson, who was married to Prince Andrew from 1986 until their divorce in 1996, has continued to undertake charitable work and public engagements in recent years. Despite no longer being a working member of the Royal Family, she has remained a prominent public figure through her writing, campaigning and support for various causes.
Buckingham Palace has never had any involvement in Sarah’s Trust, and the charity operated independently of the Royal Household.
