Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, appeared to be moving beyond the long-running Jeffrey Epstein scandal. However, new revelations about a previously undisclosed email have reportedly left her deeply unsettled.
According to a recent report, an email from a former personal assistant who owed nearly $60,000 (£44,619) in unpaid wages has resurfaced, with troubling new details. The document allegedly details a financial settlement involving Ferguson and her former husband, Prince Andrew.
The email was reportedly found on Epstein’s desk during a 2015 photoshoot. A photographer who entered Epstein’s office allegedly spotted the correspondence. It was addressed to Amanda Thirsk, a former private secretary to Prince Andrew.
A new email between Sarah Ferguson's PA, her, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his right-hand woman has emerged. #DailyExpress https://t.co/W5XMDCpqN0 pic.twitter.com/ki95G2qN5G
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) January 8, 2026Titled “Settlement – John O’Sullivan,” the document outlined an agreement valued at $59,933 (around £44,433) between John O’Sullivan and the former Duke and Duchess of York. The figure represented a reduced sum from the original claim, according to the report.
The latest findings appear to contradict earlier suggestions that the money had not been paid. However, questions remain about why a four-year-old email related to a private settlement was present in Epstein’s office at the time.
Ferguson previously acknowledged that she accepted financial assistance from Epstein to help pay part of the debt. She admitted using £15,000 from Epstein to address outstanding payments owed to her former staff member. The staff member was initially due around £78,000.
Email about Sarah Ferguson's personal assistant being owed nearly $60k from Andrew and the former Duchess was found on Epstein's desk https://t.co/pAprjJthEe
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) January 8, 2026The email itself reportedly expressed frustration over delayed payment. It stated that financial arrangements had already been agreed with the Duke and Duchess. Yet no payment plan had been implemented. The writer said he reduced the outstanding amount to reach a settlement, but he still has not received the funds.
The correspondence also claimed that the unpaid wages caused significant personal hardship. This included difficulties in covering living costs and tuition for an MBA course at Columbia University.
Following media exposure of her links to Epstein, Ferguson issued a public apology for accepting his assistance. She described the decision as a serious error in judgment and said she regretted any association with the disgraced financier.
Read: Prince Andrew Given Deadline to Leave Royal Lodge by Easter
While the new report does not allege fresh wrongdoing, it has revived public scrutiny of past financial arrangements. The re-emergence of the email continues to raise uncomfortable questions. This concerns why sensitive royal correspondence appeared in Epstein’s possession years later.
