Duchess of York calls Epstein a 'supreme friend' in resurfaced email

A spokesperson for the duchess says the message was sent to counter a threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation.

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The Sun and the Mail on Sunday reported that the email, from 2011, was sent weeks after the duchess had publicly distanced herself from the disgraced financier.

A spokesperson for the duchess - the former wife of the Prince Andrew, the Duke of York - said the email was to counter a threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation.

In an interview in 2011, the duchess said her involvement with Epstein had been a "gigantic error of judgment".

At the time, the duchess also promised she would never have anything to do with Epstein again, saying: "I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children."