The disgraced Duchess of York is 'devastated' and wishes she had never met convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after she was dropped by seven charities, a friend has revealed.

Sarah Ferguson was defended today by football WAG Lizzie Cundy, who told of speaking to the Duchess amid fall-out from email revelations by the Mail on Sunday.

The exposé uncovered how 'Fergie' wrote to shamed late financier Epstein to apologise for disavowing him in a public statement following his conviction for child sexual abuse offences.

The Duchess, 65, was subsequently dropped by seven charities including the Teenage Cancer Trust and British Heart Foundation.

She has since been in contact with Ms Cundy, 57, the TV personality and former wife of ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur footballer Jason Cundy revealed.