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

[Iluvbertie]

I highly doubt the Queen gives a crap. And although I do not think Sarah is that bad, she's an embarrassment but not dangerous, she is Andrew's problem not the Queen's.

I do think that the Queen cares - because of the damage Sarah is doing to three people that the Queen loves dearly - her favourite son and his daughters.

What the Queen may do about it is another matter but to say she doesn't care would be wrong as that would implying that she doesn't care about three of her descendents.

 

[Iluvbertie]

This is probably true, but Sarah does have contacts. That's why I think she might be able to do some sort of PR work, like her sister does. She must know so many wealthy people.

To do PR work you have to have a positive PR image - Sarah doesn't.

Just because she has rich friends doesn't mean that they would want to actually employ her to do something for them - they are rich because they know how to manage their money and how to manage their own PR - that being said - no way would they want to put Sarah into a position within their company - that would simply be appalling PR for them.

 

[PrincessKaimi]

They're showing the first episode of her reality show again tonight, here. I have to say I'm a bit stunned by how child-like she is, and I do feel so sorry for her daughters. And I feel sorry for her, too.

 

[Meadow]

I don't see why the Queen should step in because it is never going to be enough for Sarah. She had millions at one stage but for some reason didn't think buying a house was a good idea? I don't get that she could owned a house but she wasn't smart enough to even do that. Yes, the Queen loves Andrew and the girls maybe enough not to step in and enable Sarah. How would the Queen decide on how much to give and when to stop? She already gets a payment from Andrew every year she lives in his house but she still has money problems. Sarah needs to realise she isn't wealthy and live accordingly problem is that Sarah just doesn't want too! I think she has further to fall yet she has made herself unemployable her bad judgement is well known so who is going to give her a job also I don't believe Sarah has the discipline to work. She seems to like to flitter from place to place doing what she wants and holidaying when she wants. It doesn't really fit in with her lifestyle. I think she will take the easy way out and continue to sponge of Andrew and the girls. I do think this will cause problems for the girls in the future especially with their partners!

 

[Mermaid1962]

I agree, plus the question of who would work with her, let alone employ her. I'm just thinking of the total havoc she would cause in a workplace, because she seems not to be truthful and blames everything on other people.

But for Sarah to go out and get a job would mean she is taking control and responsibility for her life and her future, and I think that is where her issues lay.

 

[NotHRH]

Sarah, Duchess of York, should have taken the divorce settlement that was offered to her by HM QEII. Now entertain the thought, 'Hindsight is 20/20.' I always try to never give up on anybody. No, I do know the Duchess, but even if everybody gave up on her, I would not. She is worthy of a respectable life, but she has no idea how to begin to that for herself. She must feel 'lost' at this point in her life. She seems to have only her beloved daughters for companionship, and there is nothing wrong with that. For her to live 'ashamed, lonely, and poor' should not expected of her.
She is in definite need of proper guidance to aid her in making reasonable goals for herself. To begin the process, she needs to give 'her' staff members each a pink slip, give that royal title back to her m-i-l, and deal with the fact she is not a BRF member anymore

 

[NotHRH]

Sarah, Duchess of York, should have taken the divorce settlement that was offered to her by HM QEII. Now entertain the thought, 'Hindsight is 20/20.' I always try to never give up on anybody. No, I do NOT know the Duchess, but even if everybody gave up on her, I would not. She is worthy of a respectable life, but she has no idea how to begin to that for herself. She must feel 'lost' at this point in her life. She seems to have only her beloved daughters for companionship, and there is nothing wrong with that. For her to live 'ashamed, lonely, and poor' should not expected of her.
She is in definite need of proper guidance to aid her in making reasonable goals for herself. To begin the process, she needs to give 'her' staff members each a pink slip, give that royal title back to her m-i-l, and deal with the fact she is not a BRF member anymore

No, I do NOT know the Duchess...

 

[Mermaid1962]

Perhaps Sarah should find an incredibly wealthy man and marry him. She'd stop being Sarah Duchess of York, but she'd have the lifestyle she wants as well as privacy. Honestly, I can't see her being viewed as a professional speaker or endorser of products now.

 

[Iluvbertie]

give that royal title back to her m-i-l, and deal with the fact she is not a BRF member anymore

What royal title?

She doesn't have one. She lost her royal title in 1996 when the Queen stripped both her and Diana of the HRH title.

She uses the standard style of a divorced wife of a peer - nothing special or royal about that. It is the same as any divorced wife continuing to use her married name after divorce - that is all she is doing.

 

[Princess of Durham]

Perhaps Sarah should find an incredibly wealthy man and marry him. She'd stop being Sarah Duchess of York, but she'd have the lifestyle she wants as well as privacy. Honestly, I can't see her being viewed as a professional speaker or endorser of products now.

Sarah is a fifty + woman with "issues". Wealthy men wanting to get married do not marry fifty year old women because there are a number of 20 and 30 year old beauties ready and willing. NOW, if she would be interested in some declining 80 year old to whom she would seem a young thing, and be willing to play nurse maid, then maybe. But in that case there would probably be his children watching over him (and his fortune) so that he did not do something foolish.

 

[spratsmum]

Would you want to employ Sarah Ferguson, even if she had great qualifications? She has not had a lot of success in her life - failed marriage, failed business dealings+++, "loose cannon", little responsibility - it goes on.

She needs to realise that she is a middle aged single mother, she needs to stop living through her daughters and her ex husband. If she wanted the priveleges of Royal life then she should have stuck out the marriage, she had her nose out with that as well and I think both she and Diana thought they were going to rule and upset from afar. While Diana accomplished this to some extent, I think she realise that good old Fergie was a liability and had to be cut loose. Fergie should grow up, and ride off into the sunset, let leave television shows to real people who live real lives and overcome much adversity and pain to get through each day.

Although perhaps she could get a job in a nail bar, she has got an affinity with feet!!

 

[Osipi]

Perhaps Sarah should find an incredibly wealthy man and marry him. She'd stop being Sarah Duchess of York, but she'd have the lifestyle she wants as well as privacy. Honestly, I can't see her being viewed as a professional speaker or endorser of products now.

I'd like to amend that to a incredibly wealthy man that has resided under a rock for the past 25 years or so. Most wealthy men are wealthy because they know how to manage their finances. I'd think if one knew of Sarah's penchant for spending and her monetary woes, they'd be running fast in the opposite direction from marriage to her.

 

[NotHRH]

Would you want to employ Sarah Ferguson, even if she had great qualifications? She has not had a lot of success in her life - failed marriage, failed business dealings+++, "loose cannon", little responsibility - it goes on.

She needs to realise that she is a middle aged single mother, she needs to stop living through her daughters and her ex husband. If she wanted the priveleges of Royal life then she should have stuck out the marriage, she had her nose out with that as well and I think both she and Diana thought they were going to rule and upset from afar. While Diana accomplished this to some extent, I think she realise that good old Fergie was a liability and had to be cut loose. Fergie should grow up, and ride off into the sunset, let leave television shows to real people who live real lives and overcome much adversity and pain to get through each day.

Although perhaps she could get a job in a nail bar, she has got an affinity with feet!!

Spratsmum,
You expect the Duchess to seek employment, but you wouldn't hire her even if she was qualified?
She has not had a lot of success in life - but success must begin somewhere.
I do not understand the absolute hatred toward the Duchess many have expressed in this thread. The fact of another covert explanation has to exist! Some of you seem to wish the Duchess to die (soon) a slow and tortured death. Hatred toward anyone should be unwelcomed feeling, especially toward a person you do not even know.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Maybe an 80-year-old bachelor who likes to collect rare royal memorabilia???? He could sit and listen to Sarah talk about her royal years for the rest of his life. Okay, this is getting silly. I'll stop now.

NOW, if she would be interested in some declining 80 year old to whom she would seem a young thing, and be willing to play nurse maid, then maybe. But in that case there would probably be his children watching over him (and his fortune) so that he did not do something foolish.

 

[spratsmum]

Spratsmum,
You expect the Duchess to seek employment, but you wouldn't hire her even if she was qualified?
She has not had a lot of success in life - but success must begin somewhere.
I do not understand the absolute hatred toward the Duchess many have expressed in this thread. The fact of another covert explanation has to exist! Some of you seem to wish the Duchess to die (soon) a slow and tortured death. Hatred toward anyone should be unwelcomed feeling, especially toward a person you do not even know.

I think you are overreacting a little. I don't think anyone has wished the woman dead, and I certainly don't hate her and I don't think anyone else has expressed that sentiment either Yes success does have to start somewhere, but also you have to look at people track record.

Sarah Ferguson is a public figure and she keeps putting herself in the public eye (latest Oprah interviews) as such people are entitled to have an opinion on her, also she married into and still trades off the British Royal family, again a public institution that is admired and scrutinized by many people.

In my opinion and many people on this forum Sarah has had a fair go, she has had the best of everything and has used many people along the way. She has not conducted herself in a very proper manner in some circumstances and admits herself to her shortcomings. Yes my opinion of Sarah is formed through the media and I don't know her personally, but you don't know me personally either and have made some sweeping statements.

Happy 4th of July hope the fireworks are wonderful




I

 

[AristoCat]

MAybe HM should pay some rich man a huge sum to court and marry Sarah, thus ensuring that Sarah loses her courtesy title. Then HM can secretly funnel funds to the man for keeping Sarah off of the hands of Andrew and the RF. Wouldn't that be nice of HM?

The difference between divorced women and Sarah is that if the ex-wife acts out, the man's family isn't dragged through the mud by association. These days she is on a ride to the bottom and taking the RF with her. So many comments have been begging HM to strip Sarah of what is left of her social standing and something has to be done. Yes, it would be unique, but at this point and time it has to be done. A letter's patent would be just the thing and there would not be any need for Parliament ot change anything for the rest of the nation. Frankly at this point she should just be assigned "Mrs. Mountbatten-Windsor" and be done with it. That is actually her surname, not "Duchess of York" which is more of a title than a surname. Diana, herself, was also referred to as "Mrs. Windsor" in some legal cases.

She's destroying the prestige of an ancient title stretching back centuries and ruining it for any woman that Harry in the future marries. Harry's wife will have to work like a fiend to avoid being seen as similar to Fergie and Harry's wife will also have to work hard at restoring the prestige that Fergie has merrily wrecked. She's taken a wrecking ball to the title and I cannot imagine how much more damage she is going to do to it.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The difference between divorced women and Sarah is that if the ex-wife acts out, the man's family isn't dragged through the mud by association. These days she is on a ride to the bottom and taking the RF with her. So many comments have been begging HM to strip Sarah of what is left of her social standing and something has to be done. Yes, it would be unique, but at this point and time it has to be done. A letter's patent would be just the thing and there would not be any need for Parliament ot change anything for the rest of the nation. Frankly at this point she should just be assigned "Mrs. Mountbatten-Windsor" and be done with it. That is actually her surname, not "Duchess of York" which is more of a title than a surname. Diana, herself, was also referred to as "Mrs. Windsor" in some legal cases.

I have no memory of Diana ever being Mrs Windsor. Please give some evidence of this.

The divorced wife of a peer is legally entitled to use the title as the surname after the divorce - which is what Sarah is doing and Diana did. To strip her of that styling won't take LPs but legislation - as it is a legal styling nothing more or less.

She's destroying the prestige of an ancient title stretching back centuries and ruining it for any woman that Harry in the future marries. Harry's wife will have to work like a fiend to avoid being seen as similar to Fergie and Harry's wife will also have to work hard at restoring the prestige that Fergie has merrily wrecked. She's taken a wrecking ball to the title and I cannot imagine how much more damage she is going to do to it.

What has Harry's future wife got to do with anything?

 

[AristoCat]

You raise an interesting point. People (even me at times) tend to think that someone with all Sarah's "advantages" should surely be able to get a decent job. But once you take away Sarah's connections to the royal family, she's just a middle-aged woman with no skills and no employment background.

I mean, imagine if you are an employer and a "Ms. Sarah Ferguson" turns up looking for a job. She's 51 years old and has written some mediocre books, helped produce a movie, worked as an ambassador for Weight Watchers and done some public speaking. And many years ago she worked for a publisher. But why would you hire her, really? When you look at it, Sarah doesn't have much of an employment record.

Which is Sarah's fault, no one else's really. She could have gotten real skills, built on that, and then fallen back on those whne things got rough. So many women without her chances in life have done it and started from nothing. I'm one of them myself, I have used my contacts to get something going for myself. I have 'help' but at the moment I have no choice until I get certifications. I'm twenty-seven by the way. With Sarah's recent mess though, I think PR would be a bad idea.

 

[NotHRH]

I have no memory of Diana ever being Mrs Windsor. Please give some evidence of this.

The divorced wife of a peer is legally entitled to use the title as the surname after the divorce - which is what Sarah is doing and Diana did. To strip her of that styling won't take LPs but legislation - as it is a legal styling nothing more or less.

What has Harry's future wife got to do with anything?

I am glad there are people who do not wish ill for the Duchess of York. The animosity toward Sarah expressed in this thread, is only misplaced anger. I do not hate anybody, especially a person I do not know.

Not to iluvbertie

When did Harry and his future wife enter this picture? There can only be one Duke of York at a time. Harry cannot receive the title unless Andrew dies before Harry, and his father or brother will have to confer the title on him. What is the connection between Sarah, Harry, and a possible future wife for Harry - and why would she have to work extra hard? Did I miss a key part of the saga? Or lost my mind?

 

[AristoCat]

I understand. Maybe Sarah should discreetly hospitalize herself and spend time in a treatment facility long term, like Betty Ford or some other place where she can't just lounge about, but has to actively participate away from cameras and have some no-nonsense staff.

 

[Tyger]

She is not working with the media, she is being exploited by the media. Big difference. And she is allowing it because she is the Victim, after all.

If she played her cards right, she could get a gig as a correspondent or even hone her writing skills and land something in the print press.

Maybe she *is* 'playing her cards right'. This woman is being slammed to the ground by 'public opinion' - what must the experience be to someone's soul on the psychic level? Few of us know such an experience except 'locally' - in 'small' ways in our lives with family and co-workers. What must it be like at the intensity that she is experiencing? Her 'fault' or not?

I think Sarah is doing all right. She may not have friends in the UK but she for sure has them in the US. By the most unlooked for happen-chances I saw the first episode of 'Finding Sarah' last night - and I would have to say that one must see it before one makes a judgment.

'Finding Sarah' is powerful stuff. I have made a note in my calendar to try to catch all of the episodes. This is not fluffy. I think what we have here is a significant cultural divide. Sarah is very courageous to have done this - it will be interesting to see how it turns out for her.

 

[Osipi]

Maybe she *is* 'playing her cards right'. This woman is being slammed to the ground by 'public opinion' - what must the experience be to someone's soul on the psychic level? Few of us know such an experience except 'locally' - in 'small' ways in our lives with family and co-workers. What must it be like at the intensity that she is experiencing? Her 'fault' or not?

I think Sarah is doing all right. She may not have friends in the UK but she for sure has them in the US. By the most unlooked for happen-chances I saw the first episode of 'Finding Sarah' last night - and I would have to say that one must see it before one makes a judgment.

'Finding Sarah' is powerful stuff. I have made a note in my calendar to try to catch all of the episodes. This is not fluffy. I think what we have here is a significant cultural divide. Sarah is very courageous to have done this - it will be interesting to see how it turns out for her.

After watching the first three episodes, I don't get the "really powerful stuff" from it at all. Perhaps its the clips from the sessions shown and a little bit here and little bit there and Sarah basically looking blank faced and seeming to say "tell me how I should think.. tell me how I should feel" as if she's looking on the outside for answers. As I think one poster put it, there's got to be a light bulb moment ahead. There is a bit of some in future episodes but I'll not ruin it for you.

Even if this series is perhaps the worse thing ever that Sarah could do, good or bad, whatever the outcome of it is a step ahead for Sarah. It could be the two steps backwards to make one forward. Kind of like the adage of "Never pity the wino on the doorstop. He's exactly where he needs to be right now."

 

[Iluvbertie]

I am glad there are people who do not wish ill for the Duchess of York. The animosity toward Sarah expressed in this thread, is only misplaced anger. I do not hate anybody, especially a person I do not know.

Not to iluvbertie

When did Harry and his future wife enter this picture? There can only be one Duke of York at a time. Harry cannot receive the title unless Andrew dies before Harry, and his father or brother will have to confer the title on him. What is the connection between Sarah, Harry, and a possible future wife for Harry - and why would she have to work extra hard? Did I miss a key part of the saga? Or lost my mind?

My question about Harry's wife was directed at Aristocat who said

She's destroying the prestige of an ancient title stretching back centuries and ruining it for any woman that Harry in the future marries. Harry's wife will have to work like a fiend to avoid being seen as similar to Fergie and Harry's wife will also have to work hard at restoring the prestige that Fergie has merrily wrecked. She's taken a wrecking ball to the title and I cannot imagine how much more damage she is going to do to it.

I didn't get the reference to Harry's future wife here so was asking for an explanation.

 

[Tyger]

After watching the first three episodes, I don't get the "really powerful stuff" from it at all.

What did I see then? The 3rd episode? I also came in about half way through, I think. I thought it was the 1st because she seemed to be getting acquainted with Dr Phil - and she was meeting Suzie Ormond for the first time in her home in England. It seemed to be at the beginning of things - but maybe not? Was that the 1st or the 3rd? Much obliged for clarity....

 

[Osipi]

What did I see then? The 3rd episode? I also came in about half way through, I think. I thought it was the 1st because she seemed to be getting acquainted with Dr Phil - and she was meeting Suzie Ormond for the first time in her England home. Was that the 1st or the 3rd? Much obliged for clarity....

I've seen all three episodes aired so far. The one where she first meets Phil and Suze is the first one (My Fall From Grace). The first episode got me distracted for a bit as I loved looking at Royal Lodge. For me, the first episode was too little actual "work" and too much of a tour and talking about external things such as the bench, showing the dogs, where Sarah's apartment was in BP etc.

The second episode is Sarah's return to NYC (Braving The Big City) while the third (Soul Searching In The Desert) goes into exercises that Sarah does to learn more about herself. The third one for me was the best one so far as it focused on Sarah and nothing external so much.

This week is catchup week. The schedule for rebroadcasting all three episodes is here:
Finding Sarah: From Royalty to the Real World TV Listings

With Canada Day and the 4th of July happening and its prime vacation times, I imagine that's the reason for the week off.

 

[Tyger]

I've seen all three episodes aired so far. The one where she first meets Phil and Suze is the first one (My Fall From Grace). The first episode got me distracted for a bit as I loved looking at Royal Lodge. For me, the first episode was too little actual "work" and too much of a tour and talking about external things such as the bench, showing the dogs, where Sarah's apartment was in BP etc.

The second episode is Sarah's return to NYC (Braving The Big City) while the third (Soul Searching In The Desert) goes into exercises that Sarah does to learn more about herself. The third one for me was the best one so far as it focused on Sarah and nothing external so much.

This week is catchup week. The schedule for rebroadcasting all three episodes is here:
Finding Sarah: From Royalty to the Real World TV Listings

With Canada Day and the 4th of July happening and its prime vacation times, I imagine that's the reason for the week off.

Thank you for this. Especially the re-broadcasts. One tiny question more - when it says 3:00 p.m. is that West Coast time?

What I did see was the bit with Dr Phil talking with Sarah about her upbringing and her mother. I found that 'powerful stuff'. (I didn't think in that moment - when she relates the circumstances of her mother's death - that Dr Phil acknowledged the very British stiff-upper-lip cultural bias of Sarah - instead he gave a value judgement which puzzled me). Also when Suze Ormond is talking to Sarah about having a crush on herself - that was cute - but that's where I saw the cultural divide - they are talking to entrenched cultural modes of being. As Sarah said one doesn't 'celebrate' oneself in that way in Britain. Sarah is caught in this crucible - and its a delicate area - I felt that Dr Phil was a bit held back because of that cultural difference - but at the same time wasn't acknowledging them - as though there is a one-size-fits all answer to all psychological issues - I realize that's a big question.

I had my 'Dr Phil fascination' some years back. Don't watch him anymore. Still respect him - he's very serious about what he does. I know he feels that what he does is a form of service - he is taking one person who is willing to talk openly and using them to educate others. With Sarah her BRF connection makes her a higher profile person for him to work with but I absolutely trust the man's integrity - yet I kept seeing Sarah coming up against a different cultural boundary than the one she was raised in and inhabits. Are Dr Phil and Suze cognizant of that - respectful of that?

Anyway, I think its a fascinating foray. No matter what one thinks of the participants, I do believe that Oprah would never allow anyone to be 'exploited' and certainly not damaged on her watch. There's integrity there. That goes for Dr Phil (and Suze), too. People may disagree with the process, the documentary style, the filming, the sharing of intimacies, etc., but Sarah has put herself in probably the best hands for such an enterprise.

 

[HRH Princess Sonya]

I didn't get the reference to Harry's future wife here so was asking for an explanation.[/QUOTE]


You are not alone in asking that question I wondering how Harry comes into play in this. Was it announced somewhere that since Prince Andrew does not have a son the Prince Harry would be the Duke of York afte Andrew?

 

[Zonk]

I believe the inference is that Sarah is doing damage to the title of Duchess of York thru her actions. This in turn will impact Harry's wife, assuming that 1) Andrew will die at which 2) Harry will become Duke of York and 3) he will marry and his wife will 4) become the HRH The Duchess of York as a result of Sarah's past actions will not be respected because of the previous titleholder.

I believe that's it.

 

[AristoCat]

I didn't get the reference to Harry's future wife here so was asking for an explanation.

You are not alone in asking that question I wondering how Harry comes into play in this. Was it announced somewhere that since Prince Andrew does not have a son the Prince Harry would be the Duke of York afte Andrew?[/QUOTE]

I never said anything like that!!!!!!!

I just said, that since Harry, as second son of the future monarch, will likely at some point become Duke of York (when I never said and don't know), his wife will have a hard time living down the actions of her predecessor.

 

[HRH Princess Sonya]

You are not alone in asking that question I wondering how Harry comes into play in this. Was it announced somewhere that since Prince Andrew does not have a son the Prince Harry would be the Duke of York afte Andrew?

I never said anything like that!!!!!!!

I just said, that since Harry, as second son of the future monarch, will likely at some point become Duke of York (when I never said and don't know), his wife will have a hard time living down the actions of her predecessor.[/QUOTE]


Okay sorry if I misquoted you . I was just wondering if I missed something.