The Royal Report for Sunday July 31, 2011 - Can Sarah Ferguson rehabilitate her image?

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York is much maligned in the media for her actions. With last year's cash for access scandal, it seems that she had hit an all-time low. Now that she has a new docu-series and book called 'Finding Sarah' will this help to rehabilitate her public image or contribute to its further decline?

Listen to the episode here: Can Sarah Ferguson rehabilitate her public image?

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 225 25 July 2011

Hello! Canada Weekly No 226 8 August 2011

Vanity Fair - The Trouble With Andrew by Edward Klein

From My Royal Collection

Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself

My Story by Sarah, Duchess of York

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report for Sunday August 7, 2011 at 9:00PM EST (North America).

Topic to be determined

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Fergie's back, and she's feeling sorrier for herself than she ever has before

I've been meaning to write an article about Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. However, my problem was coming up with a title. Nothing seemed to convey the exasperation I feel every time I read about her.

Way back in May 2010 when she tried to sell access to her ex-husband's soul I thought 'well, now she's done it'. She will fade into obscurity, living on in her daughters questionable fashion choices. Unfortunately she made an appearance on Oprah and all was forgotten. To top it all off, somehow Fergie duped the ultimate enabler into giving her a six-part docu-series called 'Finding Sarah'.

Fortunately I don't have cable, so I can only live vicariously through those who tweet and blog about the show. However I am predicting that there will be a lot of emotional turmoil as each episode tackles a different issue. Sarah will make discoveries about herself while learning absolutely nothing in the process. For instance:

Episode 1 - Finances. Fergie receives her credit card statement and discovers how high it is. Will she pay it or won't she? Guest appearance by Suze Orman, Oprah's financial guru enabler to nag her about it.

Episode 2 - Health. Fergie realizes her cholesterol is too high. Guest appearances by Dr. Oz and fitness guru Bob Greene to nag her. Still has not paid credit card bill.

Episode 3 - Family and friends. Guest appearance by Princess Beatrice to remind us of Fergie's royal connections.  Tearfully contemplates selling access to Eugenie. Oprah loans Fergie her ultimate BFF Gayle King, with interest. Maybe they'll take a soul searching road trip. Expenses everything because Fergie has no credit left.

Episode 4 - Fashion. Guest appearance by fashion expert Stacey London. This is a tougher job than she expected so Stacey recruits What not to wear cohort Clinton Kelly as backup. Sarah is strong-armed into something flattering. Clinton smirks and Stacey happily exclaims: "Shut up!" Fergie still hasn't paid her credit card nor the interest on Gayle. Guest appearance by Oprah via speaker-phone to turn up the heat.

Episode 5 - Charity and lost causes. Fergie is shown doing something charitable, as if to say 'See? There are people more needy than me!' Fergie gets into her limo feeling better about herself. As she returns to her luxury suite, she tearfully wonders if Diana would be proud of her. Guest appearance by a mystified Dr Phil.

Episode 6 - Redemption. As Fergie pays the minimum amount on her credit card she feels a renewed sense of optimism about the future. Refusing to fly commercial, she returns home on Oprah's private jet. Brainstorms titles for her next book. Wipes away tears."You haven't heard the last of me." she proudly proclaims.

Unfortunately, she's right.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Engagement?

According to a recent blog post by Tina Brown, today was supposed to be the day that William and Kate finally announced their engagement to the world. Right now I'm picturing Prince William kicking back and relaxing while the media goes into overdrive and people like me blog about it. Maybe Prince William is reading the papers and going online, texting Kate to see who can locate the silliest headline first.

As I write this post it is currently 6:47PM in London. I don't know about over there but that's quitting time in North America. The time that people go home to their families and have dinner. However, the day is not over in the UK and there's still time to spare. So we wait until 11:59PM and a last minute reprieve to put us out of our misery.Yes, William's people are just waiting to spring the news on all of us when we least suspect it. Here in Canada it could be cause for a celebration for more reason than one - a Friday, an engagement announcement and warm sunny weather! Boo Yeah!

While we wait, reporters twitter about Tina Brown's credibility. People bought her revelation hook, line-and-sinker and that's when the dissection started: other reporters jealously questioned her sources and thoroughly checked William's and the Queen's diaries for available time to make the announcement. Some wondered if she'd made the prediction to increase traffic to her site. Then there were fears, what if she might actually be  *gasp* right! Well, according to one reporter: 'Tina Brown's reputation is riding on her prediction."  Today, self-satisfied and commenting: "it was never going to happen today."  Like the Duchess of York, is Tina Brown throwing herself at the mercy of friends and  'leaving anguished messages' on their answering machines too?

While it's true that the changes of an engagement announcement on Friday are unlikely, it isn't 12:00AM in the UK just yet.

To quote Prince William, we just have to ''wait and see".

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Royal Focus: Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York's wedding dress

View image | gettyimages.com

When asked about her wedding dress in 1986, Sarah Ferguson said "there will never be a dress to match it." And to date she has been correct. 

Her dress was designed by Lindka Cierach and was made from heavy ivory duchess satin, which was manufactured at Britain's only silk farm, Lullingstone near Sherborne in Dorset.The fabric was chosen because, according to Sarah 'it is the creamiest material in the world. It never creases. It is as smooth as glass and hangs beautifully.'

The champagne color of the dress flattered the bride's hair and skin tone. The design had a renaissance silhouette and the fitted, boned bodice had a dropped waist coming into a point at the front and a lower 'V' at the back. The neckline was gently curved and edged with pearls. The sleeves were full, coming into a simple pearl-edged point just below the elbow. 

The skirt was flat in front, widening on the sides and full at the back. The 17 1/2 foot train flowed from beneath a fan shaped bow and the underskirt was bordered by a silk scalloped lace flounce billowing out the heavy sheen of the satin skirt. The designer's hallmark - heavy beading - was most strikingly evident on the train and was based on Sarah's Coat-of-Arms.  Worked in seed pearls and diamante, the train was embroidered with thistles, bees and hearts and in a nod to Prince Andrew's naval career, anchors, and waves. Rising in a scale at the bottom of the train, a heraldic 'A' led into a double 'S'.  The pure silk tulle veil had scalloped edging and was embroidered with true lover's knots and shimmered with sequins. The total number of bugle beads, sequins, crystals pearls and stones on the wedding dress amounted to 155,000.

The satin shoes were designed by Manolo Blahnik and beaded with bees and ribbons in pearls and diamonds. She wore a necklace of cultured pearls intertwined with 18 carat gold and a diamond pearl pendant. She wore a headdress off fresh flowers - roses, lily petals , gardenias (Andrew's favorite flower) and lilies-of-the-valley. At the end of the ceremony the headdress was removed to reveal a diamond tiara, symbolic of her metamorphosis from commoner to royal. As Sarah recalled 'I had stepped up as the country girl; I would walk back as a princess.'

In her hands Sarah carried an "S' shaped spray of cream lilies, palest yellow roses, gardenias, lilies of the valley and the traditional sprig of myrtle.  

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Resources

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke & Duchess of York by Christopher Warwick and Valerie Garner

Royal Style Wars : The Trend-Setting Fashion Feud Between the Princess of wales And the Duchess of York

Royalty in Vogue by Josephine Ross

My Story by Sarah, Duchess of York

Invitation To a Royal Wedding ( Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew by Trevor Hall

Official Celebration of the Royal Wedding by Gordon Honeycombe

Happy 19th birthday Princess Beatrice!

Today is Princess Beatrice's 19th birthday. This is an interview from her 18th birthday.

© Marilyn Braun 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Like royal books? Visit Marilyn's Royal Bookstore! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~