Prince Andrew must, no doubt, be aware of the story of his ex-wife having been caught in a sting by a journalist from the News of the World. We can only imagine the 'apoleptic rage' he keeps hidden behind the royal reserve while attending engagements. To his credit he ignored questions by reporters, thereby not engaging in a public mud slinging match. One well chosen syllable of which would have been enough to destroy her reputation for good.
Fergie, who was in the US to accept an award will be returning to the UK soon. The Daily Mail predicts there will be a showdown, where she will be called to account to her ex-husband for her latest gaffe. Fergie, in her 'fragile mental state,', according to the Express, is 'throwing herself at the mercy of friends.' "Desperate and in a bad place' she has taken to leaving 'anguished messages' on a friend's answering machine. Oh the melodrama!
Prince Andrew of all people must be aware of the predicament Fergie is in. After all, didn't his family help place her there by shafting her in the divorce settlement? Leaving her with little more than £15,000 and the remnants of a royal title. Who can blame her for trading off on what she has? Isn't he doing the same? Were it not for his title, would he be in the same position he is now?
The Prince is also well aware of how the media has treated members of his family. This is not the first run in with News of the World, and it probably won't be the last. Hopefully the Duchess will be wiser the next time but given her track record I doubt it. Placing the blame solely on Fergie and permanently faulting her for being naive would make them both look bad.
Let's also not forget that she is the mother of his children. The princesses must be caught in the middle, their loyalties divided. Beatrice and Eugenie must know their mother and the position she's in better than most, yet at the same time realizing that a price shouldn't be put on their royal heritage. I've always gotten the impression that Andrew and Sarah, sharing living arrangements and holidays, as the 'happiest divorced couple in the world' who, in Andrew's words, are 'divorced to each other, but not from each other' must share a special bond that the rest of us find hard to comprehend. A bond which survives even through her previous gaffes, some which have been more humiliating to him than being offered up for £500,000.
My money is on them weathering this storm too. After all of these years and after all they have been through, they must be fairly familiar with the following quote: 'to err is human, to forgive is divine.'
© Marilyn Braun 2010
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8 comments:
James Whitaker blames the Queen for giving Sarah a relatively small sum in her divorce from Prince Andrew. But think of this: if your daughter-in-law had just spent you under the table, and had continued to behave in such a manner, would you be willing to give her even more money to blow annually? Giving her more is not the answer. The Queen should’ve forbidden Sarah’s use of “Duchess of York” and hired a scrupulous accountant for her instead.
Given that she is the mother of two of the Queen's grandchildren, she deserves more than what she received. She allowed herself to be taken advantage of, and for what? A good yet tenuous relationship with the royal family?
Yes she used her unlimited credit Coutts account recklessly, no denying that but she also took responsiblity for paying those debts off.
Like Diana, had she received a lump sum settlement then she can do with that as she wished. Right now it makes the royal family look very, very, very cheap relative to what they're worth. They could have easily given her more. Not necessarily the 20M pounds Diana received, but something more generous befitting the fact that, again, she's the mother of two princesses of the blood royal and was married to the Queen's second (and some would say favorite) son. She could have then taken that and do as she wished with it. If she lost it well then tough luck to her.
I don't really see what the title has to do with this. I mean, the title helped her get back on her feet. Is this more about her being disgraced or because she genuinely didn't deserve the title? Well, then maybe Diana didn't deserve her title either. But remember, being elevated by marriage to that rank, it would be difficult to suddenly lose it. It's the style she has grown accustomed to, no point in faulting her for wanting to keep it.
I just wonder: Fergie was responsible enough to pay off her debts to the Queen, so why not be responsible for herself? She couldn't have been that oblivious to the fact that leaving the royal family might entail curbing her lavish lifestyle.
Maybe she was so good about paying back the Queen because she feared ramifications from the family and the press?
I think Sarah becoming responsible to herself is a much harder task than paying off debts.
I've been reading her autobiography for the show I'll be doing on her tomorrow and this has been going on for a long time. She has a history of doing the wrong thing and it seems, blaming other people for it such as the 'Grey men'. No denying the courtiers did their part but she also had a responsibility. And having been cut free from the royal family we can see that a lot of this has to do with her now. No one to blame but herself. Obviously old habits die hard.
She was having an affair with Steve Wyatt that is why she split with Prince Andrew. I do not think that will be brought up in the Poor Me interview with Oprah. Sarah got herself into a huge overdraft by living way above her means after the divorce. Used her title to get out of debt where she should have stayed.
Wish I could feel sorry for her but I do not.
She split with Andrew because she could not take the way the royal system and the media was treating her.
No, I don't see why Steve Wyatt would come up in the interview. How is he relevant to any of this? No need to bring up the past when there's a fresh scandal to dissect.
Yes, she lived beyond her means, but she, from her autobiography, paid it back. So what if she used her title in order to do so? As they say, if you've got it, flaunt it. She has made a career out of the Duchess of York style, and I can't blame her for that.
I don't really see what there is for us to forgive here. Ultimately this is between her and Andrew. Like her previous royal scandals this too will blow over, but I doubt she'll learn anything from it. That's the worst thing about it all.
I believe that there is still a lot of love and affection left between the couple. I can't help but think that Fergie is Andrew's Camila in that aside from his daughters, she will always be the top lady in his life.
I completely agree with you Aritul!
Considering that he's never remarried and they are still living together I think that's a very astute observation.
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