Royal scandal hits Malta charity shelves: Duchess Sarah axed over Epstein email

**UK Charity Axes Prince Andrew’s Ex-Wife Over Epstein Email – What It Means for Malta’s Own Royal Watchers**
*By Hot Malta Staff*

VALLETTA – When news broke that British charity *Key to Freedom* had quietly severed ties with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, after an email surfaced linking her to Jeffrey Epstein’s circle, the ripple reached farther than Buckingham Palace. Within hours, Maltese Facebook groups like *Royal Gossip Malta* and *Sliema Expats* lit up with screenshots, memes and heated debate over second-hand scones at Café Cordina.

For an island that still toasts Queen Elizabeth II’s 1954 visit and televises every Windsor wedding in village band clubs, the latest scandal is more than foreign tabloid fodder; it is a mirror held up to Malta’s own evolving relationship with celebrity, charity and the ghosts of colonial ties.

### A charity snub with local echoes
*Key to Freedom* sells luxury homeware made by Indian sex-trafficking survivors; 30 % of its stock is shipped through a Dutch-Maltese logistics hub in Ħal Far, meaning some of the very baskets and candles stocked in Fortnum & Mason spent time in a Maltese warehouse. Although Ferguson was unpaid, her name opened doors. Now, according to leaked minutes published by *The Times of London*, trustees feared “reputational contagion” after the duchess emailed Epstein in 2010 asking for £15,000 to clear a former personal assistant’s debts—two years after Epstein’s first conviction.

The Maltese connection is not merely logistical. Last December, Ferguson visited Malta under the radar, staying at Xara Palace in Mdina and hosting a private tea for 20 local businesswomen to pitch *Key to Freedom* products. Tickets cost €150, with proceeds earmarked for the Malta-based foundation *Dar Merħba Bik*, which supports migrant women escaping prostitution. Sources close to the event tell *Hot Malta* that at least €5,000 was raised and three containers of Indian crafts were later cleared through Malta Freeport.

### Colonial nostalgia meets #MeToo
“Maltese society still romanticises titled Brits,” says sociology student Maria Cassar, who wrote her thesis on post-colonial celebrity influence. “But younger islanders are quicker to cancel.” Cassar’s research shows Google searches for “Prince Andrew Malta” spiked 650 % in January when the duchess’s local visit was rumoured. “People wanted to know if she’d bring Andrew. Now they want to know if we’ll refund the baskets,” she laughs.

Meanwhile, *Dar Merħba Bik* has distanced itself. In a statement to *Hot Malta*, the NGO confirmed it “received no direct funds from the duchess” and will “continue sourcing ethical products via alternative channels.” The carefully worded release reflects a wider sensitivity: Malta’s charity sector relies heavily on British donors and royal patronage. The *Prince of Wales Foundation* still funds restoration at Ħaġar Qim, while Princess Anne opened the new *Mater Dei* oncology wing in 2022. Burnt bridges in London can singe budgets in Malta.

### Boutique backlash
In Sliema, lifestyle boutique *Morié* pulled *Key to Freedom* scented diffusers within 24 hours of the email leak. Owner Claire Zammit says customers threatened boycotts. “We sell sustainability, not scandal,” Zammit explains, rearranging shelves once stacked with the charity’s jasmine candles. Across the street, competitor *The Eclecticist* placed the same candles in a tongue-in-cheek “Cancelled Royals” window display, selling 60 units in one afternoon. “Maltese humour wins,” laughs manager Luke Azzopardi, dressed in a Union-Jack waistcoat turned inside-out.

### The road ahead
The episode underscores how tightly knit global charity networks have become—and how quickly colonial nostalgia can sour. While Ferguson’s spokesperson insists she “abhorred Epstein’s crimes,” the court of public opinion moves faster than any palace press office. For Malta, the takeaway is clear: due diligence is no longer optional, whether you’re a UK duchess or a Gozitan craft fair. As volunteer coordinator Rachel Pace at *Dar Merħba Bik* puts it, “Survivors deserve allies, not headlines.”

With tourist season approaching, Valletta’s gift shops may swap royal warrants for QR codes tracing every candle to its maker. In the words of one viral Maltese meme showing Ferguson clutching a pastizz: “You are what you eat—and who you email.”