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Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson; 15 October 1959), also known by the nickname Fergie, is a British author, philanthropist, television personality, and member of the extended
British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
. She is the former wife of
Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger bro ...
, who is the second son of
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
and a younger brother of
King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
. Ferguson was raised in Dummer, Hampshire, and attended the Queen's Secretarial College. She later worked for public relations firms in London, and then for a publishing company. She began a relationship with Andrew in 1985, and they were
married Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
on 23 July 1986 at
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
. They have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Their marriage, separation in 1992, and divorce in 1996 attracted much media coverage. Both during and after her marriage, Sarah has been involved with several charities as a patron and spokesperson. Her charity work primarily revolves around helping
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
patients and children. She has been the patron of Teenage Cancer Trust since 1990 and founded
Children in Crisis Children in Crisis was a non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of children and women from underprivileged backgrounds in third-world countries. It was headquartered in London, England. On the 25th anniversary of Children in Crisis's ...
and Sarah's Trust. In the years after her divorce, Sarah was the subject of scandals that affected her relationship with the royal family, but she has appeared in various royal events in recent years. She has written several books for children and adults and has worked on TV and in film production.


Early life

Sarah Margaret Ferguson was born on 15 October 1959 at London Welbeck Hospital,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. She is the second daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson (1931–2003) and
Susan Barrantes Susan Mary Barrantes (''née'' Wright, previously Ferguson; 9 June 193719 September 1998) was a documentary filmmaker and the mother of Sarah, Duchess of York, as well as the maternal grandmother of princesses Princess Beatrice, Beatrice and Prin ...
(née Wright; 1937–1998). She has one older full sister, Jane. After Ferguson's parents divorced in 1974, her mother married polo player Héctor Barrantes in 1975 and moved to Trenque Lauquen in the Argentine pampas. Sarah stayed at the Dummer Down Farm at Dummer, Hampshire, her father's home since age 8. Major Ferguson married Susan Deptford in 1976 and had three more children: Andrew, Alice, and Elizabeth. Sarah later mentioned that at the age of 12, when her parents' marriage started to fall apart, she developed an eating disorder and "turned to overeating for comfort". Ferguson, known informally as "Fergie", once described her family as " country gentry with a bit of
old money Old money is a social class of the rich who have been able to maintain their wealth over multiple generations, in contrast with new money whose wealth has been acquired within its own generation. The term often refers to perceived members of th ...
". She is a descendant of King
Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...
via three of his illegitimate children: Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond;
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, (9 April 1649 – 15 July 1685) was an English nobleman and military officer. Originally called James Crofts or James Fitzroy, he was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the eldest ill ...
; and Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex. She has aristocratic ancestry, being the great-great-granddaughter of the 6th Duke of Buccleuch, a great-granddaughter of the 8th Viscount Powerscourt, and a descendant of the 1st Duke of Abercorn and the 4th Duke of Devonshire. Ferguson is distantly related to Prince Andrew, as they are both descended from the Duke of Devonshire as well as King
James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 M ...
. Ferguson attended Daneshill School, Stratfield Turgis. The staff of the school described her as a "courageous, bubbly and outgoing little girl". She then attended Hurst Lodge School in Ascot. She did not shine academically but showed talent in swimming and tennis. At a young age, she developed an interest in
skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...
and later briefly worked as a chalet girl. In her teenage years, she worked both as a cleaner and waitress. After finishing a course at Queen's Secretarial College at the age of 18, Ferguson went to work for an art gallery. Later she worked in two public relations firms in London, and then for a publishing company. Prior to marriage, she dated Kim Smith-Bingham, a stockbroker, and Paddy McNally, a motor racing manager more than 20 years her senior.


Marriage to Prince Andrew

On 19 March 1986,
Prince Andrew Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger broth ...
(fourth in line to the throne at the time) and Sarah Ferguson announced their engagement. Prince Andrew had known Ferguson since childhood, and they had met occasionally at
polo Polo is a stick and ball game that is played on horseback as a traditional field sport. It is one of the world's oldest known team sports, having been adopted in the Western world from the game of Chovgan (), which originated in ancient ...
matches and became reacquainted with each other at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
in 1985. Also prior to their engagement, Ferguson had accompanied
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 â€“ 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...
, during her official tour of Andrew's ship HMS ''Brazen''. Prince Andrew designed the engagement ring himself. It consisted of ten diamonds surrounding a Burmese ruby. He chose the Burmese ruby to complement Sarah's red hair. Her friendly approach and fun spirit made her a welcomed addition to the royal family. After securing the Queen's consent (which at that time was required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772 for all descendants of King George II), Andrew and Sarah were married in
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
on 23 July 1986. The Queen bestowed the title
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
upon Prince Andrew, and, as his new wife, Sarah automatically assumed her husband's royal and ducal status and became ''Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York''. As Duchess of York, Sarah joined her husband in carrying out royal engagements, including official overseas visits. In 1987, the Duke and Duchess of York undertook a 25-day tour of Canada. In February 1987, Sarah got a private pilot's licence and, after passing a 40-hour training course that was paid for by Lord Hanson as a wedding gift, was presented with her wings at RAF Benson in December. On 22 January 1988, during the trip to New York to attend a fundraising event, Sarah was attacked by a young man at the entrance of her hotel. The man, who was screaming "murderers 3/8" and had the Irish Republican Army flag in his hands when he rushed at Sarah, was "charged with attempted assault on the Duchess and assault on a federal agent". Later, a State Department press officer stated that "she was unharmed in the incident". In March 1988, the Duke and Duchess of York visited California. The trip was described by two British newspapers as a "brash, vulgar, excessive, weak-humored exhibition by two royals". The couple was defended by city officials of Los Angeles who stated that the criticism was "awful" and offensive, and observers described the Duke and his wife's behaviour as friendly and said that they fulfilled their duties. In May 1989, Sarah went on an official solo trip to Berlin. The couple became parents on 8 August 1988, with the birth of their daughter Beatrice. Sarah suffered from
high blood pressure Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major ri ...
and excessive water retention during her pregnancy. In September, Sarah joined her husband in Australia for an official visit. The decision to leave her newborn daughter at home in the UK while she was touring the country brought her criticism from the press and media. Their second child, another daughter, Eugenie, was born on 23 March 1990 by
caesarean section Caesarean section, also known as C-section, cesarean, or caesarean delivery, is the Surgery, surgical procedure by which one or more babies are Childbirth, delivered through an incision in the mother's abdomen. It is often performed because va ...
. During her marriage, the tabloid press ridiculed the Duchess of York for her weight (which climbed to (220 lbs) during her first pregnancy), labelling her the "Duchess of Pork" and "Fat Fergie". She vowed to lose weight after the birth of her first daughter. In 1989 Sarah was credited with kickstarting the UK popularity of exercise regime
Callanetics The ''Callanetics'' exercise programme was created by Callan Pinckney in the early 1980s. It is a system of exercise involving frequent repetition of small muscular movements and squeezes, designed to improve muscle tone In physiology, medicin ...
after it was widely reported that founder
Callan Pinckney Callan Pinckney (born Barbara Biffinger Pfeiffer Pinckney; September 26, 1939 – March 1, 2012) was an American fitness professional who created and popularized as well as excelled in the Callanetics exercises. Pinckney's nine books became int ...
had given her private tuition. Sarah received praise for her weight loss and some criticism for not gaining enough weight during her second pregnancy. Sarah later discussed the negative effect of the press stories about her weight on her self-esteem and added that they made her eating disorder worse.


Separation and divorce

Biographer Sarah Bradford described how Andrew's duties as a naval officer required him to stay away from home for long periods. According to Sarah's account, the couple saw each other 40 days a year in the first five years of their marriage. By 1991, the marriage was in trouble, as Sarah was finding life as a member of the royal family increasingly difficult. Her friendship with Texan multimillionaire Steve Wyatt (son of Lynn Wyatt) gained much publicity when photographs, including one of Wyatt with Sarah's toddler daughter, appeared in newspapers in January 1992. The Duke and Duchess of York announced their separation on 19 March 1992. Following the separation, the palace announced that Sarah would no longer carry out public engagements on behalf of the Queen. Furthermore, the Queen announced in a statement that she would not take responsibility for Sarah's debts. Sarah separated her residence from her husband and moved to Romenda Lodge on the Wentworth Estate, Surrey, in 1992. In August 1992, the British tabloid ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' published surreptitiously taken photographs of John Bryan, an American financial manager, sucking on Sarah's toes as she sunbathed topless. Sarah endured widespread public ridicule, contributing to her further estrangement from the British royal family. French magazine ''
Paris Match ''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly gossip magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. ''Paris Match'' has been considered "one of the world's best outlets for photojournalism". ...
'' was ordered to pay £84,000 in damages for publishing the photographs, though the original amount sought was £1.32 million. On 28 March 1993, it was announced that the formal separation agreement between the Duke and Duchess had been settled, despite months of speculation that the couple might be reconciling. In 1995, Prince Andrew's aunt
Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. ...
, who had received a bouquet of flowers sent by Sarah, reportedly wrote in a letter to Sarah: "You have done more to bring shame on the family than could ever have been imagined". Reports and speculation about the couple reuniting continued into late 1995, ending when the Duke and Duchess announced their mutual decision to divorce in April 1996. In the years after her divorce, Sarah claimed that she had received £15,000 a year as a divorce settlement and cited her deal as a spokeswoman with Weight Watchers as her main "source of income". However, subsequent information given by senior officials to ''
The Sunday Telegraph ''The Sunday Telegraph'' is a British broadsheet newspaper, first published on 5 February 1961 and published by the Telegraph Media Group, a division of Press Holdings. It is the sister paper of ''The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Tele ...
'' revealed that Sarah had received £350,000 in cash, £500,000 from the Queen to buy a new house for her and the children, and a monthly allowance that was estimated to have reached £500,000 in total by 2010. The couple shared custody of their children. In November 1996, Sarah published her autobiography ''My Story'' and embarked on a promotional tour to support it. On a US chat show she implied she and Andrew had had an open relationship, and that throughout the marriage and separation "He always knew exactly what was going on", she said. "It's not a one-way street. We respect each other's space." In a 2007 interview, as to why they finalised their divorce she said, "I wanted to work; it's not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job." The decree nisi was granted on 17 April 1996 and the divorce was finalised on 30 May 1996, after which she legally retained the style ''Her Royal Highness'' with the style of other divorced peeresses. However, it was announced in April that Sarah had chosen not to use the style ''Her Royal Highness'' and would relinquish it under the divorce terms. In accordance with
letters patent Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...
issued in August 1996 regulating post-divorce royal titles, Sarah formally ceased being a ''Royal Highness''. Since her divorce, Sarah has attended some functions with her daughters, such as the investitures of the Duke of York into the
Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...
and the
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...
, and
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
, and on those occasions, she is afforded the courtesy of treatment as a member of the royal family. Sarah hinted at the idea of remarrying Andrew in several interviews. In August 2013, she was invited to stay at
Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen. The estate and its original castle were bought ...
with Prince Andrew and their daughters as guests of the Queen, and in September 2013, in response to a question about the possibility of remarrying Andrew, Sarah said, "He's still my handsome prince, he'll always be my handsome prince." She was not invited to the 1999 wedding of Prince Edward and
Sophie Rhys-Jones Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones; 20 January 1965) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest sibling of King Charles III. Sophie grew up in Brenchley, ...
or the 2011 wedding of
Prince William William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his p ...
and Catherine Middleton, but she attended the
wedding A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...
of
Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. As the younger son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales, he is fifth in the line of succession to ...
and Meghan Markle in 2018. However, she did not receive an invitation to the evening reception at Frogmore House hosted by
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
, and was reportedly "deeply upset" by her exclusion. The
Lord Chamberlain's Office The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised t ...
has listed Sarah as a member of the royal family, along with other extended family members such as Daniel Chatto and Mike Tindall. she is not, however, listed on a section of the royal family's website titled "Members of the Royal Family". She attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, and was seated by her daughters' side, but she was not invited to the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. On 25 December 2023, Sarah joined the royal family for Christmas at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham for the first time since 1992.


Personal life after divorce

After the divorce, the British tabloids continued to cover Sarah's lifestyle. In 1995, a baggage handler at
John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is a major international airport serving New York City and its metropolitan area. JFK Airport is located on the southwestern shore of Long Island, in Queens, New York City, bordering Jamaica Bay. It is ...
in New York City pleaded guilty to stealing her $382,000 diamond necklace and bracelet. Sarah's commercial interests have included an eleven-year endorsement with Weight Watchers and product development and promotion with
Wedgwood Wedgwood is an English China (material), fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons L ...
and Avon. Until 2004, the Duke of York and his former wife shared the family's home, Sunninghill Park in Berkshire. That year, the Duke moved to the refurbished Royal Lodge in
Windsor Great Park Windsor Great Park is a Royal Park of to the south of the town of Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. It is adjacent to the private Home Park, Windsor, Home Park, which is nearer the castle. The park ...
, previously the home of his grandmother,
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...
, who resided there until her death in 2002. In 2007, Sarah rented Dolphin House in
Englefield Green Englefield Green is a large village in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, approximately west of central London. It is home to Runnymede Meadow, The Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial, The Savill Garden,and Royal Holloway, University of L ...
, less than a mile from Royal Lodge; a fire at Dolphin House in 2008 caused her to vacate the premises and move into Royal Lodge with her former husband. In 2015, Sarah was reported to have moved out of Royal Lodge and assumed residence in
Verbier Verbier () is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederatio ...
, Switzerland, where she and the Duke of York owned a £13 million chalet. She applied for Swiss residency in 2016. Sarah also maintains a rented apartment in
Eaton Square Eaton Square is a rectangular, residential garden square in London's Belgravia district. It is the largest Squares in London, square in London. It is one of the three squares built by the landowning Grosvenor family when they developed the main ...
in London and a room at Royal Lodge. As one of the victims of the
News International phone hacking scandal Beginning in the 1990s, and going as far until its shutdown in 2011, employees of the now-defunct newspaper ''News of the World'' engaged in phone hacking, police bribery, and exercising improper influence in the pursuit of stories. Investi ...
which came into public notice in 2006, Sarah received an undisclosed amount in an out-of-court settlement. In April 2016, she was named in the
Panama Papers The Panama Papers () are 11.5 million leaked documents (or 2.6 terabytes of data) published beginning April 3, 2016. The papers detail financial and attorney–client information for more than 214,488 offshore entities. These document ...
.


Debt problems

In the mid-1990s, Sarah reportedly had a £4.2 million deficit in her bank account which she paid off by going on "a four-year earning spree" in the United States. In 2006, Sarah used the money she had earned from her career as a film producer and writer to found Hartmoor LLC in the US. A lifestyle company, it was set to help with her "career in publishing, media and public speaking". The company collapsed in 2009, leaving Sarah with a debt of £630,000. Later in the same year, it was revealed that she was in a financial dispute with three firms and in September she was summoned "to court in the UK for unpaid bills". It was reported in August 2010 that Sarah might declare voluntary bankruptcy with debts of £5 million, though other sources had suggested she owed about £2 million. In March 2011, it was reported that
Jeffrey Epstein Jeffrey Edward Epstein ( , ; January 20, 1953August 10, 2019) was an American financier and child sex offender. Born and raised in New York City, Epstein began his professional career as a teacher at the Dalton School, despite lacking a col ...
had helped Sarah avoid bankruptcy by paying off some of her debts. The payments were reportedly made after intervention from the Duke of York. She later admitted getting money from Epstein and called it a "gigantic error". In the summer of 2011, ''
Finding Sarah ''Finding Sarah'' (also named ''Finding Sarah: From Royalty to the Real World'') is an American documentary television series on the Oprah Winfrey Network that debuted on June 12, 2011. Premise The series follows the daily life of Sarah, Duchess ...
'' aired on the OWN network. One episode of the U.S.-filmed reality series depicted Sarah meeting with
Suze Orman Susan Lynn "Suze" Orman ( ; born June 5, 1951) is an American financial advisor, author, and podcast host. In 1987, she founded the Suze Orman Financial Group. Her work as a financial advisor gained notability with ''The Suze Orman Show'', which ...
, the internationally known financial advisor, receiving from Orman a strict lecture and practical advice on how to resolve her financial issues. Juan Alessi, a staff member at Epstein's Florida residence for 12 years, said in an unsealed deposition that he believed Ferguson visited "only once and for a short time". In May 2020, it was reported that Andrew and Sarah were in a legal dispute over a debt from the 2014 purchase of their Swiss chalet. They had taken out a mortgage of £13.25 million and were expected to pay the remaining £5 million of the purchase price in cash instalments by the end of 2019; interest had increased this to £6.8 million. Despite reports that the Queen would assist them, a spokesperson for the Duke of York confirmed that she "will not be stepping in to settle the debt". ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' reported in September 2021 that Sarah and Andrew had reached a legal agreement with the property's previous owner, and would sell the house to pay back their debt. The owner agreed to receive £3.4 million, half of the amount that she was owed, as she had been under impression that Sarah and Andrew were dealing with financial troubles. In August 2022, it was reported that Sarah had purchased a £5 million townhouse in Mayfair after the success of her novel '' Her Heart for a Compass''.


Cash for access

In May 2010, Sarah was filmed by the ''
News of the World The ''News of the World'' was a weekly national "Tabloid journalism#Red tops, red top" Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published every Sunday in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the world's highest-selling ...
'' offering Mazher Mahmood, an undercover reporter posing as an Indian businessman, access to Prince Andrew for £500,000. On the video made as a documentary source for the story, which is publicly available, Sarah is heard to say, "£500,000 when you can, to me, open doors". She is seen taking away a briefcase containing £40,000 in cash. Exposure surrounding the incident increased Sarah's public profile and notoriety.
Sterling Publishers Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. is a publisher of a broad range of subject areas, with multiple imprints and more than 5,000 titles in print. Founded in 1949 by David A. Boehm, Sterling also publishes books for a number of brands, including A ...
substantially increased the print run of ''Ashley Learns About Strangers'', Sarah's latest book for children; however, the notoriety did not translate into additional book sales. In an interview with
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
, titled ''Oprah and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York'', Sarah explained her behaviour by saying that she had been drinking prior to soliciting the cash, and was "in the gutter at that moment". She also claimed that her intention was initially to help a friend who "needed $38,000 (£28,000) urgently" but she ultimately asked for more money due to her own financial problems. In November 2016, it was reported that Sarah intended to sue
News Group Newspapers News Corp UK & Ireland Limited (trading as News UK, formerly News International and NI Group) is a British newspaper publisher, and a wholly owned subsidiary of the American mass media conglomerate News Corp. It is the current publisher of ...
(parent company of the ''News of the World'') and its owner
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian - American retired business magnate, investor, and media mogul. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of List of assets owned by News Corp, local, national, a ...
for £25 million in damages citing her "loss in earnings" as well as the subsequent "distress" that the media sting brought to her as the main reasons. In January 2018, it was reported that the actual amount Sarah was seeking was £45 million. In March 2022 it was reported that the wife of jailed Turkish politician İlhan İşbilen alleged that Sarah received at least £225,000 from businessman Selman Turk, whom Mrs İşbilen is suing for fraud. An additional £25,000 was sent by Turk in October 2019 to the bank account of Sarah's younger daughter, Eugenie, the second instalment of which was referenced "birthday gift", reportedly "to pay for a surprise birthday party for the Duchess". Sarah was owed £225,000 by Pegasus Group Holdings for her role as brand ambassador, but she received the full amount from Turk, who was then set to reclaim the money from Pegasus.


2012 Turkey legal incident

On 13 January 2012, the Ministry of Justice of
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
issued an international arrest warrant for Sarah. She had travelled to Turkey in 2008 and covertly filmed a Turkish state orphanage. The Turkish authorities alleged that Sarah made a false declaration when entering the country (in regard to her motives for visiting Turkey), trespassed into a Turkish Government institution, and also invaded the privacy of children. These charges carry sentences of up to 22 years imprisonment. Turkey and Britain have an extradition treaty; however, Home Office officials have stated: Turkey maintains that Sarah distorted information about the orphanage and used an isolated incident in a smear campaign against the Republic of Turkey. Turkey invited international human rights organisations to inspect any orphanage of its choosing to show its transparency in relation to the issue. On 5 May 2012, the trial began into the charges brought by the Ankara State Prosecutor's office. Cansu Åžahin, representing Ferguson, who was not present, told the Ankara court that her client has apologised and would like to plea-bargain with the prosecution.


Health

In June 2023, it was announced that Sarah had been diagnosed with an early form of
breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...
following a routine
mammogram Mammography (also called mastography; DICOM modality: MG) is the process of using low-energy X-rays (usually around 30 kVp) to examine the human breast for diagnosis and screening. The goal of mammography is the early detection of breast cancer ...
. She successfully underwent a single
mastectomy Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. A mastectomy is usually carried out to treat breast cancer. In some cases, women believed to be at high risk of breast cancer choose to have ...
at King Edward VII's Hospital, and her doctors stated her prognosis as "good". She also underwent
reconstructive surgery Reconstructive surgery is surgery performed to restore normal appearance and function to body parts malformed by a disease or medical condition. Description Reconstructive surgery is a term with training, clinical, and reimbursement implicat ...
following her mastectomy. In January 2024, it was announced that Sarah had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma after having several moles removed for analysis.


Charity work

Since her marriage to Prince Andrew, and continuing after the divorce, Sarah has been involved with a number of charities. In 1990, Sarah became patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust. She has since opened most of the charity's various units, including those at
Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...
,
University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...
, St James's University Hospital, Cardiff University Hospital and Royal Marsden Hospital. Sarah began her work with people suffering from
motor neurone disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
in the 1990s. In her capacity as patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, she promoted fundraising campaigns for research about the disease and later became president of the International Alliance for
ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
. To help and support those affected by drug misuse, she joined therapy sessions at the Chemical Dependency Centre and was later made their patron. In 1993, Sarah founded
Children in Crisis Children in Crisis was a non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of children and women from underprivileged backgrounds in third-world countries. It was headquartered in London, England. On the 25th anniversary of Children in Crisis's ...
, a children's charity focused on education and grant making to international programmes. Sarah serves as founder and life president. She founded the charity after meeting a young cancer victim named Ania during her visit to Poland in 1992. In December 1994, Sarah went to the US to take part in a fundraising event for
Peace Links Betty Lou Bumpers (née Flanagan; January 11, 1925 – November 23, 2018) was an American politician, advocate for childhood immunizations, and world peace activist, who served as the First Lady of Arkansas from 1971 to 1975. Together, she and Ros ...
and to launch her own charity, Chances for Children, in the US. Her decision to launch a fundraising event for her charity in the US was criticised by the British press, who claimed that through her ''Budgie the Little Helicopter'' series she was "expected to earn 400 million pounds over the next five years, with 3 million pounds a year going into her royal pocket" despite her promise to donate part of her earnings to charity. The claims were denied by Sarah's representative, and she later responded to the criticism by saying, "What you all must understand is that the Budgie books were produced in 1987. That's when I gave a large percentage to charity. ... And maybe after costs, after the animation is made, after everything else and the popcorn and everything else, then perhaps in five to ten years, maybe I might receive a little bit of my percentage, and that I hope will be at that time going back into Chances for Children". "Little Red", the doll that was used as a logo for her American charity, later inspired her to write a series of books named after the doll. The proceeds from selling the doll also went to Chances for Children. In June 1998, Sarah made a brief trip to Bethesda to receive an award from the Journal of Women's Health. She also visited the
National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in 1887 and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Service ...
(NIH) Clinical Center. NIH associate director for communications said, "The Duchess has many opportunities to talk to women via television, at lectures and through print media interviews" and was interested "in learning from NIH scientists what major health messages she should deliver to women, based on the research conducted through NIH." Sarah, whose elder daughter Beatrice was diagnosed with
dyslexia Dyslexia (), previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, wri ...
at the age of seven, became a patron of Springboard for Children, a charity that helps students who struggle with reading and writing. Sarah has also described herself as "a little bit dyslexic". In 2003, Sarah joined the
American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...
at a congressional briefing. She was a founding supporter of the American Cancer Society's Great American Weigh In, an annual campaign (modelled after the Society's Great American Smoke Out) aimed at raising awareness of the link between excess weight and cancer. In 2004, Sarah was named the official spokesperson of SOS Children's Villages – USA and in 2005 she became a global ambassador for Ronald McDonald House Charities. In 2006, Sarah established The Sarah Ferguson Foundation based in Toronto, which derives funds from Sarah's commercial work and private donations with the aim of supporting charities internationally that serve children and families in dire need. Included under this umbrella organisation is her patronage and support of several British charities, including Mental Disability Rights International, the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, Tommy's, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and
CARE International CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, formerly Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe) is a major international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and long-term international development projects. Founded i ...
. In 2009, it was reported that despite its income of £250,000 over 18 months, the foundation had spent only £14,200 on grants, £6,300 of which was given to the charitable arm of a South African private game reserve owned by Sir Richard Branson, a friend of Sarah's. Following the report, the foundation released a list that showed they spent around $400,000 on donations in 2008. In 2007, Sarah joined the Advisory Council of the Ophelia Project, an American initiative aimed to support people dealing with relational and other non-physical forms of aggression. In 2008, Sarah became patron of Humanitas, a charity focused on providing children with education, healthcare and family support. In the same year, she became an ambassador for New York mayor
Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and politician. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P., and was its CEO from 1981 to 2001 and again from 2014 to 2023. He served as the 108th mayo ...
's anti-poverty campaign. In 2010, Sarah became a supporter of the Mullany Fund, whose aim is to support British students wishing to study medicine or physiotherapy. In 2011, Sarah became the global ambassador for Not For Sale, a charity focused on human slavery. In 2013, Sarah, along with her former husband, the Duke of York and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, founded Key To Freedom, a business structure for women in vulnerable situations in India who can sell their wares through the British retailer Topshop. In 2014, Sarah was appointed an ambassador for the Institute of Global Health Innovation at
Imperial College London Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...
. In 2015, Sarah revealed her connection with India and polo when she attended as a chief guest of HVR Baroda Cup in New Delhi under the invitation of Harshavardhan Reddy, chairman of HVR Sports. In 2016, Sarah collaborated with British contemporary artist Teddy McDonald and her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, to create the first Royal contemporary painting. Titled Royal Love, it was painted on the lawn of Royal Lodge and features positive thoughts and quotes by Sarah and the princesses. The painting was exhibited in London at the Masterpiece Art Fair, Chelsea in June/July 2016 and later auctioned at private dinner. The proceeds from the sale of the painting were donated by McDonald to the charity Children in Crisis. British '' GQ'' magazine published an exclusive on the creation of the painting. In 2017, Sarah was joined by her daughter Eugenie to mark the second anniversary of the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. In the same year, she was named an ambassador for the British Heart Foundation. On the 25th anniversary of Children in Crisis's foundation in 2018, Sarah said that working with this charity "gave her a sense of perspective and purpose during tough times". Sarah merged her charity foundation with Street Child, an organisation run by Tom Dannatt in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone, of which Sarah has become a patron, and her daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, are the ambassadors. Sarah is also a patron of
Julia's House Julia's House is a children's hospice located in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, England and Devizes, Wiltshire. It is a hospice for children with life-limiting, life-threatening or terminal conditions. The majority of the children who are cared for by Juli ...
, a children's hospice in Corfe Mullen. In June 2019, Sarah became the patron of Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, an organisation founded in honour of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 due to an allergic reaction after consuming a sandwich. Sarah, whose own paternal uncle died following an allergic reaction, was asked by Ednan-Laperouse's parents to become their charity's patron. The organisation is working on a bill called "Natasha's Law", which "requires all food businesses in England and Northern Ireland to list every ingredient in their pre-packaged foods". Later in July, she became an ambassador for the technology infrastructure company Pegasus Group Holdings. Sarah was chosen to initiate "the company's philanthropic endeavors" as they develop an "off-grid renewable energy data center". In June 2020, Sarah launched her new charitable foundation called Sarah's Trust. The charity has provided aid for NHS, care home and hospice staff by delivering more than 150,000 items, including food, masks, scrubs, and toiletries. Organisations such as Under One Sky and NOAH Enterprise have helped the foundation by giving sleeping bags to homeless people in the UK. Essentials and supplies have also been sent to Ghana. In March 2022, Sarah visited
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
after being chosen as the keynote speaker at a Junior League of Denver fundraiser. In the same month, she travelled to Poland amid the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
to meet with Ukrainian refugees and help her charity the Sarah's Trust in organising goods donated by UK citizens. In the following month, she travelled to Albania and met Afghan refugees at a resort in
Golem A golem ( ; ) is an animated Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
. In her capacity as chief ambassador of the Montessori Group, Sarah visited Croatia in June 2022 where she promoted the organisation's work on providing help for Ukrainian refugees and supporting children. In July 2022, her charity secured money to fund £14,000-worth of computers for Ukrainian refugees in Poland. She also helped with setting up the 'Play in a Box' tent in
Upper Silesia Upper Silesia ( ; ; ; ; Silesian German: ; ) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, located today mostly in Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic. The area is predominantly known for its heav ...
to host refugee children for reading, playing, and baking. In December 2022, she hosted a choir for the blind from
Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.
's Special Training Educational Complex during their visit to the UK, for which she was awarded with a certificate and badge from Poland's National Institute for the Blind. In March 2024, Sarah co-chaired the Global Citizen NOW summit in Melbourne, Australia with the aim to end extreme poverty and address the climate crisis.


Film and television career

In 2000, Sarah co-produced and served as presenter in a documentary for BBC television called ''In Search of the Spirit''. In September 2003, she was a co-host for three days on
BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the List of most-listened-to radio programs, most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the sta ...
's afternoon show ''Steve Wright''. In May 2004, Sarah hosted an eleven-minute production featurette on Universal's DVD ''
Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...
'', titled ''The Legacy of Pan''. Five months later,
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
Feature Animation released a DVD short '' The Cat That Looked at a King'', with Sarah's voice in the role of the Queen; the story is derived from the ''
Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to: * Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers * Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny ** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...
'' books by P. L. Travers. In 2008, Sarah was a special correspondent to
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's '' Today'' for which she presented segments for a series called "From the Heart". In May 2008, her two-part film ''The Duchess in Hull'' premiered on ITV1, showing Sarah helping a family on a
council estate Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council housing or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011, when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in social housing. D ...
in Hull to improve their lifestyle. In the same year she travelled to Romania and Turkey for the documentary ''Duchess and Daughters: Their Secret Mission'', shown on ITV1 on 6 November 2008, investigating poor treatment and conditions in children's institutions in those two countries. In August 2009, her documentary ''The Duchess on the Estate'', which was about Northern Moor, Manchester, was shown on the same network. Her report on the suburb area in Manchester caused criticism for exaggerating crime in the area. Sarah had a producing role (credited as "Sarah Ferguson") in the 2009 Jean-Marc Vallée film ''
The Young Victoria ''The Young Victoria'' is a 2009 British period drama, period drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes, based on the early life and reign of Queen Victoria, and her marriage to Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert ...
'', starring
Emily Blunt Emily Olivia Laura Blunt (born 23 February 1983) is a British actress. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Emily Blunt, several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, in addition t ...
and featuring a background player role for Sarah's daughter Princess Beatrice. It was Sarah who conceived the idea for a film based upon the early years of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
. Since her marriage to Prince Andrew, she had been interested in the Queen, and had written two books about her with the help of a historian. The Victoria-Albert relationship in particular drew her into the queen's history, as she believed there were parallels between their marriage and her own with Prince Andrew, as they both "fought for their love" in the midst of public scrutiny. Sarah had the leading role on ''
Finding Sarah ''Finding Sarah'' (also named ''Finding Sarah: From Royalty to the Real World'') is an American documentary television series on the Oprah Winfrey Network that debuted on June 12, 2011. Premise The series follows the daily life of Sarah, Duchess ...
'', a mini-series on
Oprah Winfrey Network The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN, also known as the OWN Network) is an American multinational basic cable television network which launched on January 1, 2011, effectively replacing the Discovery Health Channel, which one month later merged with ...
which premiered in June 2011. She talked about her struggles through life and financial issues in the show. In 2019, Sarah said that she was producing a TV documentary about Prince Albert's mother Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. The documentary will focus on her life, particularly her separation from her husband Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In April 2020, Sarah launched a new series on her YouTube channel, called ''Storytime with Fergie and Friends'', in which she and a number of authors, including Nanette Newman and Imogen Edwards-Jones, read stories to children from their homes during the lockdowns due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. From March to July 2021, the same channel showed 10 short episodes of ''Little Red News'' featuring characters from Ferguson's book series, ''Little Red''. In May 2022, she co-founded the independent production house Vestapol Films, which is based in Paris. In May 2023, she launched the weekly podcast ''Tea Talks with the Duchess & Sarah'' together with Sarah Thomson, which premiered in June 2023.


Notable appearances on TV and radio

* In the United Kingdom: ** She participated in the programme '' The Grand Knockout Tournament'', informally known as ''It's a Royal Knockout'', on 15 June 1987, in which four teams sponsored by her, the
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
, the
Princess Royal Princess Royal is a substantive title, title customarily (but not automatically) awarded by British monarchs to their eldest daughters. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal famil ...
, and Prince Edward competed for charity. The programme was criticised by the media and it was later reported that the Queen was not in favour of the event, with her courtiers having advised against it. ** '' The Vicar of Dibley'' in 1999. ** '' Parkinson'' in 2003. ** '' The Meredith Vieira Show'' in 2015, discussing her former husband's alleged sex scandal. ** '' This Morning'' in 2019 to discuss "Natasha's Law". She guest-edited and co-hosted an episode in 2023. * In the United States: ** ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
'' in 1996 and 1999. In 2010, she was interviewed for a special episode on the same show, titled ''Oprah and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York'', in which she discussed the "cash for access" scandal. ** In May 1998, Sarah made a cameo in the fourth-season finale of the American television sitcom ''
Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...
''. * In Australia: ** In 2013, Sarah was interviewed for an episode of
Nine Network Nine Network (stylised 9Network, and commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of the five main free-to-air television ...
's ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'', titled "Seeing Red".


Cultural references

* The 2006 title of R&B/
Hip Hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
singer Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson's debut solo album, '' The Dutchess'' (dutchess is a variant spelling of duchess dating to the 17th century) was a reference to the fact that the two are associated with the same nickname. According to various media outlets, Sarah called Fergie after the release of her album and remarked: "Fergie, it's Fergie... Now that you've done this, you have to sing at a concert for my foundation, 'Children in Crisis'." Fergie agreed and committed to charity concerts in London and New York City. * Between 2016 and 2020, a fictional version of her was portrayed by
Katy Wix Katy Victoria J Wix (born 28 February 1980) is a Welsh actress, writer, author and artist. Her television roles include Carole in '' Stath Lets Flats,'' Mary in ''Ghosts'', Barbara in ''Ted Lasso'', and Jules in '' Big Boys''. She has also ap ...
in the British sitcom '' The Windsors''. * In 2020, Sarah was portrayed briefly by English actress Jessica Aquilina in the fourth season of
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
's ''
The Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...
''. * The 2024 series '' A Very Royal Scandal'', which depicted the events surrounding the 2019 BBC interview between
Prince Andrew Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger broth ...
and Emily Maitlis, prominently featured Claire Rushbrook in the role of Sarah.


Titles, styles, honours and arms


Titles and styles

During her marriage, Sarah was styled "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York". On 21 August 1996,
letters patent Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...
declared that former wives of British princes, other than widows who did not remarry, were not entitled to the style of Her Royal Highness. Meanwhile, divorced peeresses (such as duchesses) cannot "claim the privileges or status of Peeresses which they derived from their husbands", but may continue to use the peeress title. The Royal Household refers to Sarah as "Sarah, Duchess of York", but on at least two occasions (the announcements of the engagements of her daughters), she has been referred to together with her former husband as "The Duke and Duchess of York".


Honours


Academic honours

* 1991–1995:
University of Salford The University of Salford is a Public university, public research university in Salford, Greater Manchester, Salford, Greater Manchester, England, west of Manchester city centre. The Royal Technical Institute, Salford, which opened in 1896, be ...
, Chancellor * 2016: University of Huddersfield, Visiting professor of Philanthropreneurship


Other honours and awards

* On 23 February 1987, alongside her then husband, she received the Freedom of the City of
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
. * The rose cultivar ''Rosa'' 'Duchess of York' was named in her honour in 1994. * In 1998, Sarah received the '' Journal of Women's Health'' Award from Bernadine Healy. * In 2001, she received '' Redbook'' magazine's "Mothers & Shakers" Award. * In 2004, she received ''
Woman's Day ''Woman's Day'' is an American women's magazine that covers such topics as homemaking, food, nutrition, physical fitness, physical attractiveness, and fashion. The print edition is one of the Seven Sisters (magazines), Seven Sisters magazines. ...
'' magazine's "Women Who Inspire Us" Award. * In February 2007, she was named Mother of the Year by the
American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...
. * In 2007, she received the ONE X ONE Difference Award for humanitarian work benefiting children worldwide, presented at the
Toronto Film Festival Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. * In June 2018, she received the Humanitarian Award at the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival for her work with
Children in Crisis Children in Crisis was a non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of children and women from underprivileged backgrounds in third-world countries. It was headquartered in London, England. On the 25th anniversary of Children in Crisis's ...
. * In June 2019, she received the Inspiration of the Year Award at '' Hello!''s Star Women Awards for her work with charity organisations, including Street Child. * In July 2022, she received the Global Humanitarian award at the 25th Magna Grecia Awards. * In April 2023, she received the Golden Heart Award at the Women Changing the World Awards for her humanitarian work. * In November 2023, she received the Red Cross International Award in recognition of her philanthropic activities. * In March 2024, ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' included her on its "Influence List".


Arms


Issue


Bibliography


Books

* Autobiographies and memoirs: ** 1997, ''My Story'' ** 2011, ''Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself'' * '' Budgie the Little Helicopter'' books and 1994 animated children's television series: ** 1989, ''Budgie the Little Helicopter'' ** 1989, ''Budgie at Bendick's Point'' ** 1991, ''Budgie and the Blizzard'' ** 1992, ''The Adventures of Budgie'' ** 1995, ''Budgie Books – S and S USA'' ** 1996, ''Budgie Goes to Sea'' ** 2021, ''Budgie the Helicopter Rescues Kubbie the Koala'' * About Queen Victoria: ** 1991, ''Victoria and Albert: A Family Life at Osborne House'' ** 1993, ''Travels with Queen Victoria'' * For young girls: ** 1996, ''The Royal Switch'' ** 1997, ''Bright Lights'' * Lifestyle books with Weight Watchers: ** 1998, ''Dieting with The Duchess'' ** 1999, ''Dining with The Duchess'' ** 2000, ''Win the Weight Game'' ** 2001, ''Reinventing Yourself with the Duchess of York'' ** 2002, ''Energy Breakthrough: Jump-start Your Weight Loss and Feel Great'' ** 2009, foreword in ''Weight Watchers Start Living, Start Losing: Inspirational Stories That Will Motivate You Now'' * Little Red series: ** 2003, ''Little Red'' ** 2004, ''Little Red's Christmas Story'' ** 2006, ''Little Red's Summer Adventure'' ** 2009, ''Little Red to the Rescue'' ** 2009, ''Little Red's Autumn Adventure'' * Helping Hands series: ** 2007, ''Charlie and the Bullies'' ** 2007, ''Harry Starts to Enjoy His Food'' ** 2007, ''Get Well Soon, Adam'' ** 2007, ''Lauren's Moving Day'' ** 2007, ''Healthy Food for Dylan'' ** 2007, ''Sophie Makes Friends'' ** 2007, ''Dalia Says Goodbye to Grandpa'' ** 2007, ''Simon Gets Better'' ** 2007, ''Emily Mover Home'' ** 2010, ''Ashley Learns about Strangers'' ** 2010, ''Emily's First Day of School'' ** 2010, ''Michael and His New Baby Brother'' ** 2010, ''Matthew and the Bullies'' ** 2011, ''When Katie's Parents Separated'' ** 2011, ''Zach Gets Some Exercise'' ** 2011, ''Jacob Goes to the Doctor and Sophie Visits the Dentist'' ** 2011, ''Molly Makes Friends'' ** 2011, ''Olivia Says Goodbye to Grandpa'' ** 2019, ''James and the Bullies'' ** 2020, ''Holly's First Day at School'' ** 2020, ''Daisy Learns about Strangers'' * Genie Gems series: ** 2020, ''Genie Gems: Mission to Devon'' ** 2020, ''Genie Gems Meets Arthur Fantastic'' * Puddle Boots series: ** 2021, ''Puddle Boots'' ** 2021, ''Puddle Boots Christmas'' * About Margaret and Mary Montagu Douglas Scott: ** 2021, '' Her Heart for a Compass'' ** 2023, ''A Most Intriguing Lady'' *** 2024, ''A Woman of Intrigue'' * The Southport series: ** 2022, ''Demon's Land'' ** 2022, ''Field of Sky'' * 1988, ''A Guard Within'' * 1989, ''Skiing from the Inside: The Self-help Guide to Mastering the Slopes'' * 2003, ''What I Know Now: Simple Lessons Learned the Hard Way'' * 2003, ''Moments'' * 2008, ''Tea for Ruby'' * 2008, ''Hartmoor'' * 2012, ''Ballerina Rosie'' * 2020, ''The Enchanted Oak Tree'' * 2020, ''A Gift of Kindness'' * 2021, ''The Adventures of Charlie, Blue and Larry Lamp Post'' * 2021, ''What's Under Your Hat, Granny?'' * 2023, ''The Girl on the Ceiling'' * 2024. ''Flora & Fern: Wonder in the Woods''


Authored articles

* * * * * * *


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:York, Sarah, Duchess Of 1959 births Living people 20th-century English memoirists 21st-century English memoirists 20th-century English women writers 21st-century English women writers Writers from the City of Westminster British duchesses by marriage British people of American descent British royal memoirists British women aviators British women podcasters Chancellors of the University of Salford
Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...
English Anglicans English autobiographers English children's writers English film producers English podcasters
Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...
Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...
Participants in American reality television series People educated at Hurst Lodge School People from Dummer, Hampshire People from Marylebone People from Sunninghill People named in the Panama Papers
Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...
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