Options for Sarah to recover from the 'Cash for Access' scandal

[Iluvbertie]

Andrew is supported by the Queen from her private income so whatever she wishes to give him and he to Sarah is none of the business of the British people.

When Andrew travels for official purposes as Trade Representative, or does official engagements the government picks uo the expenses as he is there as a representative of the government - the same as a minister or other government official but he doesn't take Sarah on those visits so what he gives her is nobodies business but his own.

 

[Irish Eyes]

Thanks for clearing that up in simple terms Iluvbertie.
I only put it out there because there is a general conception that if Andrew pays Sarah's debts its at the taxpayers expense.

 

[xaristocratx]

Whilst I agree on the principle of standing on your own two feet and not scrounging off your ex, Sarah has demonstrated that if she tries to earn her own living, she can be a major public embarassment. Hence my suggestion. The key is that it has to be a relatively modest lifestyle, with some clear pre-conditions (ie, no paid work, no media exposure).

I agree. I think we all know that Sarah is not going to get a "good job" to support herself. If she is going to be forced to support herself I believe she will do it the embarrassing way.

the easiest option for the royal image is to just set her up with something so she'll shut up. Also, get her to sign a contract to not be on tv or take money from others anymore as a condition.

 

[sliver_bic]

That's horrible for the Royal Image imo, to sit there and admit that they're essentially allowing themselves to be held hostage by Sarah.

 

[AnnEliza]

...get her to sign a contract to not be on tv or take money from others anymore as a condition.

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I just wanted to ask, do you think Sarah would abide by such an agreement? Or would she write a tell-all book about how she's being abused by TRF again? (Restricting her freedom and things like that.)

 

[Irish Eyes]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I just wanted to ask, do you think Sarah would abide by such an agreement? Or would she write a tell-all book about how she's being abused by TRF again? (Restricting her freedom and things like that.)

Welcome aboard AnnEliza. The impression I have is that she wouldn't agree to such an agreement. She seems to be full of energy and wants to live life to the full so I don't think living somewhere quiet in the US or elsewhere, with very little to do all day is something that she would want.
I know her daughters are grown up but she's always going to spend a significant amount of time in the UK because of them (although keeping a lower profile would be a good idea). I also think she is pretty committed to her charity work so she needs to be in the public eye to a certain degree for that. As for a tell-all book, in her autobiography she didn't reveal anything that wasn't already in the public domain, and if she criticised anyone it was the courtiers, not senior members of the RF.
For what it's worth I don't think Andrew wants to cuts all ties with her, he had the chance to do so earlier this summer but instead came to her rescue. They have a 25 year history so I think they are always going to be a major part of each others lives.

 

[rmay286]

Welcome aboard AnnEliza. The impression I have is that she wouldn't agree to such an agreement. She seems to be full of energy and wants to live life to the full so I don't think living somewhere quiet in the US or elsewhere, with very little to do all day is something that she would want.

I don't think such an agreement will ever happen, either. Sarah doesn't want to be controlled by the royal family, and the royal family doesn't want to be responsible for her. Also, Sarah can avoid the media when she really has to, even without any kind of formal agreement. She has hardly been seen in public since May.

On the other hand, I think there already is a slightly similar arrangement to the one people are suggesting, but it's between Andrew and Sarah rather than the royal family and Sarah. Andrew helps Sarah out financially and in return, Sarah takes his advice. Sarah will take advice from Andrew that she probably wouldn't take from the other royals, and the Queen lets Andrew help her out financially so she doesn't have to do it.

I used to think the royal family would accept Sarah again someday, after Prince Philip died, but since last summer I don't think that will ever happen. I do think, though, that Sarah and Andrew will continue to stick together with their girls as a family unit. There is supposedly no love lost between Charles and Andrew, so when Charles becomes king, I think the two families (Andrew and Charles') will become more and more detached from each other. But whatever happens with the rest of the RF, I think Sarah will always have Andrew and the girls.

 

[Mermaid1962]

It wasn't in the public domain that she got warts from her sister-in-law's (Diana's) shoes. I thought that was an unnecessary detail for her to include and rather unkind.

As for a tell-all book, in her autobiography she didn't reveal anything that wasn't already in the public domain, and if she criticised anyone it was the courtiers, not senior members of the RF.

 

[Katrianna]

As I've stated before, Sarah wouldn't dare write a "tell all" book criticizing the Royal Family and "exposing" secrets. She'd lose Andrew for sure besides angering Her Majesty. If Andrew goes, then there goes the hand that feeds and keeps her in money. She'd be astonishingly stupid if she did.

 

[Iluvbertie]

It wasn't in the public domain that she got warts from her sister-in-law's (Diana's) shoes. I thought that was an unnecessary detail for her to include and rather unkind.

I have always felt that was a bit of 'get even' for Diana being seen as perfect and Sarah being seen as the bad one. Sarah shoed that Diana had her 'warts' not only metaphorically but literally.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, I agree. There was a certain cattiness to the remark, which I'm sure that Sarah felt fully justified in making.

I have always felt that was a bit of 'get even' for Diana being seen as perfect and Sarah being seen as the bad one. Sarah shoed that Diana had her 'warts' not only metaphorically but literally.

 

[rmay286]

Sarah was probably jealous of Diana and was getting even with her, but I don't feel that Sarah ever did or ever would expose the royal family's secrets in the way that Diana did in the Andrew Morton book. I think Diana could be deliberately mean and vengeful, whereas Sarah really wasn't. Both women blamed the palace for their problems at times, but I think Sarah also blamed herself whereas Diana was only interested in blaming other people and making them look bad.

 

[sliver_bic]

As I've stated before, Sarah wouldn't dare write a "tell all" book criticizing the Royal Family and "exposing" secrets. She'd lose Andrew for sure besides angering Her Majesty. If Andrew goes, then there goes the hand that feeds and keeps her in money. She'd be astonishingly stupid if she did.

She's been astonishingly stupid. Part of me thinks that it might not be love but a complete lack of spine and/or brains on Andrew's part. He's known for doing stupid things as well, like flying a helicopter to deliver a trophy to a golf tournament less than an hours drive away.

Maybe he's found his soul mate in Sarah because of this. While it doesn't stop him from being a good father, it might be that the only thing that stops Andrew from going off the rails is his mother and the rest of the family while Sarah is allowed to be a train wreck because he protects her.

 

[AnnEliza]

You're right -- it's been years since I read her book, but she did complain about the courtiers rather than the Royal Family. And I doubt she would do so.
It does seem that she and Andrew will probably go on as they are now. I wondered, when she appeared on Oprah, if that meant she would want to live in the U.S., but I don't think she would like it here -- people watched her on Oprah, then forgot about her. Though there are always those who would want to be around her because of her title. I know, it's how her name is styled, but to most Americans, "Duchess of York" is a title. I never understood why she was still called that after divorce until I read about it on this forum.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I agree. Sarah has her "issues", but I don't think that she's been nearly as destructive to the BRF in personal terms.

I don't feel that Sarah ever did or ever would expose the royal family's secrets in the way that Diana did in the Andrew Morton book. I think Diana could be deliberately mean and vengeful, whereas Sarah really wasn't.

 

[xaristocratx]

I wouldn't put it past her to write another book about her "new wonderful self". Haha. I think she's too pathetic to ever go as far as Diana--mostly because Diana could support herself without the RF and Sarah can't.

Sarah does seem to get herself into very, very stupid situations. It isn't the stupidity that bothers me about Sarah, it's my fear that she is kind of crazy. Like, she could 'go over the edge at any minute', crazy. Hopefully she gets the help she needs. Diana also needed help with depression, I think the RF learned from ignoring that too...

 

[Iluvbertie]

I wouldn't put it past her to write another book about her "new wonderful self". Haha. I think she's too pathetic to ever go as far as Diana--mostly because Diana could support herself without the RF and Sarah can't.

Sarah does seem to get herself into very, very stupid situations. It isn't the stupidity that bothers me about Sarah, it's my fear that she is kind of crazy. Like, she could 'go over the edge at any minute', crazy. Hopefully she gets the help she needs. Diana also needed help with depression, I think the RF learned from ignoring that too...

Diana could support herself without the RF because of the 17 million pounds they had to pay her in the divorce settlement.

They gave Sarah a paltry settlement which meant she had to earn a living and the only thing she had to sell was her name, Sarah, Duchess of York.

I now suspect that the RF have realised that she should have been better provided for and are helping her sort things out. I don't think Andrew would be doing this alone without the support and backing of his mother.

 

[muriel]

Diana could support herself without the RF because of the 17 million pounds they had to pay her in the divorce settlement.

They gave Sarah a paltry settlement which meant she had to earn a living and the onlt thing she had to sell was her name, Sarah, Duchess of York.

I know suspect that the RF have realised that she should have been better provided for and are helping her sort things out. I don't think Andrew would be doing this alone without the support and backing of his mother.

Fully agree with your post - I suspect Andrew (with HMs consent) is probably helping Sarah financially

 

[xaristocratx]

Diana could support herself without the RF because of the 17 million pounds they had to pay her in the divorce settlement.

They gave Sarah a paltry settlement which meant she had to earn a living and the only thing she had to sell was her name, Sarah, Duchess of York.

I now suspect that the RF have realised that she should have been better provided for and are helping her sort things out. I don't think Andrew would be doing this alone without the support and backing of his mother.

Diana also had money of her own. I'm sure the RF would have cut her out of any money, much like Sarah, if Diana hadn't been so popular.

I agree. I think they have learned from Sarah's overly public desire for more money and will give it to her. They would look cold if they didn't. Haha it's kind of funny. Even royalty with all of their money, fight like everyone else over who gets money and who gets nothing.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Diana also had money of her own. I'm sure the RF would have cut her out of any money, much like Sarah, if Diana hadn't been so popular.

Her popularity had nothing to do with it. It was Charles perceived wealth and her poition as William's mother. Actually her lawyers even claimed that she should have received more due to Charles' future as King. Of course the taxman ended up with a lot of it in death duties due to the way she set up her estate.

 

[sliver_bic]

Once again the argument makes it seem like Sarah was shortchanged. She asked for the small settlement so comparing her to Diana in that manner makes no sense. She then dug herself out of her debt and then replanted herself in it, any talk of what she did or did not get from Andrew is moot.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Once again the argument makes it seem like Sarah was shortchanged. She asked for the small settlement so comparing her to Diana in that manner makes no sense. She then dug herself out of her debt and then replanted herself in it, any talk of what she did or did not get from Andrew is moot.

She was shortchanged any any decent divorce lawyer would have made sure she received a lot more than a few thousand a year. The rest of the settlement was for the girls.

However that wasn't even the point of the discussion. Aristocrax said that Diana could support herself without the royal family and I pointed out that the reason Diana could do that was the 17 million she received compasred to the pittamce Sarah received. Why Sarah received such a small settlement wasn't relevant.

 

[Mermaid1962]

She had experience in publishing art books before she was married. I think that if she had gone to work outside the UK with that experience plus her high profile, she could have done alright for herself. IMO the problem she had was that she felt that she had to make a lot of money quickly and so went for jobs that paid a lot but didn't have a future rather than go for a long-term career that would be stable.

They gave Sarah a paltry settlement which meant she had to earn a living and the only thing she had to sell was her name, Sarah, Duchess of York.

 

[udyusa]

I totally agree with you, Mermaid. That makes the most sense that I have read.

 

[murphy's mom]

She worked for Weight Watchers for over 10 years; I believe they paid her over $1 million a year, and from what I understand, she was the one that chose to end the arrangement. She also had many other endorsements and speaking engagements. Even with paying off her debts, she should have been able to save up enough money to be financially secure.

 

[Iluvbertie]

She had experience in publishing art books before she was married. I think that if she had gone to work outside the UK with that experience plus her high profile, she could have done alright for herself. IMO the problem she had was that she felt that she had to make a lot of money quickly and so went for jobs that paid a lot but didn't have a future rather than go for a long-term career that would be stable.

When you have debts in the millions you have to make money fast ans she did - paid off her debts etc then.

She couldn't work full time outside the UK unless she gave up having any real say in the upbringing of her very young daughters (they were 4 and 2 in 1992 when she and Andrew separated and 8 and 6 when they divorced). She had to start supporting herself from 1992.

 

[Wisteria]

So she supported herself from 1992 onwards? In the way she had become accustomed it seems.
She had a divorce settlement that would have been more than adequate for any woman whose daughters´ expenses were being paid for by a royal family.
There is no excuse for her, as far as I am concerned, but I admit it is going to be a bit difficult for her from now on.
She will just have to find another book that she can "write".

 

[Iluvbertie]

So she supported herself from 1992 onwards? In the way she had become accustomed it seems.
She had a divorce settlement that would have been more than adequate for any woman whose daughters´ expenses were being paid for by a royal family.
There is no excuse for her, as far as I am concerned, but I admit it is going to be a bit difficult for her from now on.
She will just have to find another book that she can "write".

I couldn't live on her settlement as a single woman in Australia and our cost of living is way lower than Britain's. I have no mortgage and still would need more than that settlement unless I was to stay at home and vegetate without any occasional nights out.

 

[Wisteria]

I couldn't live on her settlement as a single woman in Australia and our cost of living is way lower than Britain's. I have no mortgage and still would need more than that settlement unless I was to stay at home and vegetate without any occasional nights out.

I suppose a lot is based on which version of her settlement you have read.
She has lived rent free and don´t tell me she hasn´t been treated as a free-loading guest, her girls are paid for and do not go without, as well as having money left to them, so they would not be a burden to her.
Her ex-husband has been very good to her and she certainly is not starving.
She is staying at home! It is not her home, but she doesn´t or didn´t seem to be vegetating, she has had boyfriends while living with her ex. She has been wisely keeping a low profile since she was caught out trying to sell access to her husband.
By the way the Telegraph published this about her settlement (incidentally which she accepted) and if you, in Australia as a single woman couldn´t live on it you must be very extravagant.

Duchess of York's divorce settlement was worth £3 million - Telegraph

 

[Iluvbertie]

I suppose a lot is based on which version of her settlement you have read.
She has lived rent free and don´t tell me she hasn´t been treated as a free-loading guest, her girls are paid for and do not go without, as well as having money left to them, so they would not be a burden to her.
Her ex-husband has been very good to her and she certainly is not starving.
She is staying at home! It is not her home, but she doesn´t or didn´t seem to be vegetating, she has had boyfriends while living with her ex. She has been wisely keeping a low profile since she was caught out trying to sell access to her husband.
By the way the Telegraph published this about her settlement (incidentally which she accepted) and if you, in Australia as a single woman couldn´t live on it you must be very extravagant.

Duchess of York's divorce settlement was worth £3 million - Telegraph

500,000 pounds to buy a home which has never been bought so that money has never been given.

1.4 million for the girls - not her - so again nothing to Sarah.

500,000 with no restrictions - fine but she did have debts in the millions at the time - over 4 million according to this article. Virtually the entire settlement was on the girls and not her.

Her small monthly allowance is about 10 - 30,000 pounds a year and that is not enough for me to live on if I go out once a week (to the club but not a night club for a dinner with friends), buy my clothes at K-Mart or Woolworths. I am not extravagant by any means - my luxury is mu internet connection and my craft work. I couldn't live on her allowance.