The Jeffrey Epstein controversy continues to rumble on, and now, another member of the Royal Family is under the spotlight thanks to an email allegedly sent by them.

The Sun and the Mail on Sunday have both published an email reportedly sent to the convicted sex offender back in 2011.

Shortly after being convicted of his crimes, Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in New York in 2019. Much has been made of his friendships with the rich and famous with Hollywood A-listers, Donald Trump, and Prince Andrew said to be among his friends.

For many years now, people have been calling for the so-called ‘Epstein Files‘ to be released, and there is a belief that a little black book of celeb names exists.

This latest story is more bad news for the Royal Family, following the controversy surrounding Prince Andrew and Epstein.

The story is more bad news for the Royal Family around Jeffrey Epstein (English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The email was said to have been sent by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, weeks after she said she was having nothing more to do with him.

A spokesperson of Prince Andrew’s ex-wife said the email was sent to counter a threat of defamation made by Epstein.

It is said that the email was sent in 2011, and in that same year the Duchess of York had called her involvement and friendship with the disgraced financier as a ‘gigantic error of judgement…I am just so contrite I cannot say’.

She said at the time: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children.”

Ferguson added: “I cannot state more strongly that I know a terrible, terrible error of judgement was made, my having anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein. What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.”

The Mail on Sunday claims she started another email with ‘My dear, dear friend Jeffrey’.

The Duchess of York was married to Prince Andrew (Derek Hudson/Getty Images)

The email came three years after Epstein had been sent to prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

According to the newspapers, the Duchess of York emailed Epstein to backtrack on the comments she made in the interview. The email says that Ferguson reportedly insists she had not used the word ‘paedophilia about him.

“As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P word’ about you but understand it was reported that I did,” it read.

“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me.

“You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”

She allegedly also said she had been told to do the interview to save her work ‘as a children’s book author and children’s philanthropist’.

The couple’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein is under the spotlight once more (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

The spokesperson said the email was an attempt to convince Epstein not to sue her for defamation.

They said: “The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims.

“Like many people, she was taken in by his lies. As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.

“She does not resile from anything she said then. This email was sent in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”

More recently, Lord Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US after his friendship with Epstein was revealed.