Duchess of York dropped as patron after Epstein email - but what do patrons do?

Sarah, the Duchess of York, has been dropped as a patron by seven charities due to her affiliation with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The move by the charities comes after it emerged the duchess had written a gushing message to Epstein just weeks after publicly disowning him due to his crimes in April 2011.

In the email, she "humbly apologised" for linking him to paedophilia in the media a few weeks previously and described him as a "steadfast, generous and supreme friend".

Her spokesperson has since said she only wrote the note because Epstein had threatened to sue her.

Each of the charities that dropped the duchess as a patron thanked her for her support in their statements.

But what is a patron and what do they do?

What is a patron?

Patrons are essentially ambassadors for charities, lending their face and name to help raise awareness and build support.

They can be any kind of public figure, like celebrities or members of the Royal Family, but the key is for them to be a notable name that lends credibility and brings extra publicity to the charity.

There are no particular rules regarding how a patron can help their charities.

Some patrons offer financial support, while others may just use their influence to promote the charity, attending its events to rub shoulders with potential donors or to bring extra eyes to a new milestone for the non-profit.

The role differs to that of a trustee, who is a volunteer that helps govern and direct the charity.

How do you become a patron?

Potential patrons can either reach out to charities, or charities can go to them.

Royal patronage in particular has been a staple of charities for centuries, with non-profits often reaching out to royalty for support.

More than 1,000 organisations currently have a member of the Royal Family as their patron or president, according to the Royal Family's website.

The King took on 200 extra patronages in May 2024, including Royal British Legion, a role held by his mother from the moment she became queen.

According to Dickie Arbiter, former press officer to Queen Elizabeth II, it is the charities which usually make the initial approach to royalty, who then have a choice to make.

He said the royal individual typically makes that choice based on whether the charity reflects their interests, and on whether they feel they can devote sufficient time.

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An expert on royal patronages said the roles help the Royal Family as well as the charities.

When the King announced his extra patronages, professor John Tribe, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Liverpool, said: "They help with fundraising, associated kudos and other links between the two organisations... but then of course the monarchy benefits, because it's a way of perhaps showing why the sovereign grant is justified.

"If we've got these various patronages being undertaken thoroughly and well, that's one way of demonstrating to the public that the monarchy is value for money."

What did the charities say when they dropped the duchess?

While royal support can reap great financial benefits for charities, its withdrawal can lead to real financial strain, according to Mr Arbiter.

Yet seven charities decided ties had to be severed with the duchess.

They were:

• The Teenage Cancer Trust

• British Heart Foundation

• Children's hospice Julia's House

• Food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation

• The Children's Literacy Charity

• National Foundation for Retired Service Animals

• Prevent Breast Cancer

Most of the charities' statements were brief, simply acknowledging that the duchess was no longer a patron and thanking her for her support, but some mentioned her ties with Epstein.

Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founders of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said they were "disturbed" to see the email between the duchess and Epstein and that it would be "inappropriate for her to continue to be associated with the charity".

Similarly, The Children's Literacy Charity said "given the recent information which has come to light about the Duchess of York and Jeffrey Epstein", it had asked her to step down as patron - adding it would be "inappropriate" for her to continue in the role.

Julia's House said: "Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of York's correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia's House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity."

After the email was made public, a spokesperson for the duchess 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."

(c) Sky News 2025: Duchess of York dropped as patron after Epstein email - but what do patrons do?