Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, palace aides, and Epstein all discussed Sarah Ferguson’s debts in the same email chains as confidential trade documents, which are now being assessed by British police, according to emails from the Epstein files.
Thames Valley Police has called in specialist prosecutors to assess whether there are grounds for an investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, for leaking confidential material to Epstein while serving as a U.K. trade envoy in 2010 and 2011.
The force is acting on emails from the Epstein Files supplied by the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic following reports in the British media.
However, what has not yet been reported is that, in the very same email chains, Mountbatten-Windsor was discussing his ex-wife Ferguson’s debt to a former aide, John O’Sullivan, which Epstein would pay off just weeks later.
Newsweek reached out to Buckingham Palace, representatives of Sarah Ferguson, Thames Valley Police, and former representatives of Mountbatten-Windsor for comment.
Why It Matters
The revelation leaves Mountbatten-Windsor and his staff vulnerable not only to allegations that they leaked confidential material, but also to the claim that Mountbatten-Windsor benefited financially, through Ferguson, from doing so. That may be relevant to Thames Valley Police and Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service as they consider whether the evidence meets the threshold for a criminal investigation.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Emails About Confidential Reports and Ferguson’s Debts
On November 29, Amanda Thirsk, Mountbatten-Windsor’s private secretary and his most senior aide, sent the then-prince an email containing a specific breakdown of the money owed to John O’Sullivan.
It read: “Hourly Salary Rate for Johnny is charged at US$65 per hour. We deducted US$31K in expenses from the Commercial Work figure as we regarded them to be Hartmoor expenses.
“Although JOS has also said that even if we added these amounts back in he would NOT accept 25 cents in the dollar.” It goes on to detail other costs and expenses.
Mountbatten-Windsor replied a few hours later, “Can you give me JoS telephone number,” which Thirsk supplied.
The next day, Mountbatten-Windsor emailed Thirsk: “Thanks. Can you email me the SEA report and the flying spreadsheet you gave me last week.”
Thirsk replied, “Travel attached, will need to slightly amend this post RVC – Amit will send reports,” before Mountbatten-Windsor sent forwarded the message on to Jeffrey Epstein. The attachments are not visible but are described as “Overseas_Bid.”
The same day, Amit Patel, then special adviser to Mountbatten-Windsor, sent the very trade envoy reports to Mountbatten-Windsor, which are currently being assessed by Thames Valley Police. Mountbatten-Windsor forwarded them on to Epstein.
On December 24, 2025, Mountbatten-Windsor wrote to Epstein: “Attached is a confidential brief produced by the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand Province for International Investment Opportunities.
“These are not exclusive to Helmand Province but principally focused on that province. I am going to offer this elsewhere in my network (including Abu Dhabi) but would be very interested in your comments, views or ideas as to whom I could also usefully show this to attract some interest. I have sadly already found out that Gates Foundation doesn’t do anything in Afghanistan.”
This email was also referenced in the report to Thames Valley Police.
On Christmas Day, Epstein replied to that message by stating: “send john sullivans number please.”
The Epstein files also include records showing that Epstein paid O’Sullivan $22,000, apparently through the bank JPMorgan, on January 20, 2011.
Two days later, Ferguson sent Epstein an email on January 22: “How can I thank you enough? You are a friend indeed and one day I will give it to you back. But I cannot have the words to thank you now. Sometimes the heart speaks better than the words. You have my heart. With lot of love, dear Jeffrey.”
What People Are Saying
Republic CEO Graham Smith, who reported the trade envoy leaks to Thames Valley Police, told Newsweek: “That needs to be a central focus of the police investigation because it’s not simply sharing it because it’s a casual, you know, ‘you might be interested in this,’ it would appear from the evidence that this is a transaction in which someone is being essentially paid.”
“That adds a whole new dimension to it,” Smith continued, “and obviously implicates Sarah as well. And as well as the aides, you know, the people in the staff and the palaces there included in this e-mail train. But I think that the police need to basically follow the evidence wherever it takes them without fear or favor. And that’s the bottom line.”
Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement on Wednesday: “We can confirm today that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office. This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justice’s Epstein Files.
“As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS. We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work.
“During an assessment phase, information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required. Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly.
“While we cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, we can assure you that Thames Valley Police is making progress as quickly as possible.”
The BBC reports that trade envoys “are not civil servants” under the official terms of reference, but those terms state: “The role of a Trade Envoy carries with it a duty of confidentiality in relation to information received. This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits.
“This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply.”
What Happens Next
Police will be seeking an indication from the Crown Prosecution Service on whether the allegations meet the threshold for a full investigation. If they do give the green light, that could mean the police interview Mountbatten-Windsor.
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