Sarah's Interviews and Television Appearances

[Kataryn]

Something I didn't understand on reading the articles about the show. Maybe Tyger can help?

The scene with Eugenie. (from the Telegraph-article):


"In the programme, Sarah received a phone call telling her the friend who originally helped set up the News of the World sting was planning to sell her story.

As daughter Eurgenie sobs nearby a voiceover by the duchess says: "Seeing Eugenie so upset brought out the fighter in me."

Leading her away, Sarah then says: 'What's wrong Eug?' to her daughter who has turned away from the cameras.
A tearful Eugenie replies: 'I don't like it.'
The duchess replies: 'It's fine baby, it's fine. Don't be sad, don't be sad, what are you getting sad for? They can't hurt you, they can't hurt us. We've got to keep tough.'"


I thought that Beatrice took that phonecall and told Sarah? At least that's how I recall it was reported. So is this whole scene made up? With a crying Eugenie? and why? If it was "scripted reality", why did Eugenie cry? Did she pretend like an actress?


Sorry, I don't get it.

 

[Meadow]

Has that person actually sold their story? I haven't heard anything else and that would have been taped sometime ago. I think the girls tears are real and I think it shows how little Sarah has learnt from all of this. She is going to be writing books for teenagers? What how to blame everyone else but yourself and make money from your mistakes...that is probably the only thing she could give advice on. She also can't think that having two daughters who live in a very different world to most teenagers gives her any real understanding of a teenagers problems. Clearly Sarah hasn't been able to deal with her own problems so she has no right to give advice to anyone at this stage. So far we haven't seen any change and maybe that is why the girls were crying not for joy in a changed mother but for the loss of yet another opportunity to get a healthy minded mother who didn't blame everyone else and lean on them so much. I think time will tell if she has really changed but being that she is still at Royal Lodge, still denying she did anything wrong and her constant talking of her undying love for Andrew and still living the luxery lifestyle which is what got her in trouble in the first place I doubt it. If I was Beatrice and Eugenie I would be crying too!

 

[NotAPretender]

For those in the UK, you can watch the first full episode on the OWN Network's Web site, as well as bits and pieces of other episodes (including the last one.)

Oprah.com - Live your best Life - OWN TV

Thank you to Tyger for the insightful recap.

 

[sliver_bic]

Something I didn't understand on reading the articles about the show. Maybe Tyger can help?

The scene with Eugenie. (from the Telegraph-article):


"In the programme, Sarah received a phone call telling her the friend who originally helped set up the News of the World sting was planning to sell her story.

As daughter Eurgenie sobs nearby a voiceover by the duchess says: "Seeing Eugenie so upset brought out the fighter in me."

Leading her away, Sarah then says: 'What's wrong Eug?' to her daughter who has turned away from the cameras.
A tearful Eugenie replies: 'I don't like it.'
The duchess replies: 'It's fine baby, it's fine. Don't be sad, don't be sad, what are you getting sad for? They can't hurt you, they can't hurt us. We've got to keep tough.'"


I thought that Beatrice took that phonecall and told Sarah? At least that's how I recall it was reported. So is this whole scene made up? With a crying Eugenie? and why? If it was "scripted reality", why did Eugenie cry? Did she pretend like an actress?


Sorry, I don't get it.

What Beatrice got was a, correct me if I'm wrong, text from Sarah's assistant when the CFA scandal first broke. Why it didn't go to Sarah I don't know. This phone call is about the "friend" she was "helping" apparently going out there and selling the story. The two things are about a year apart.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I wonder how Sarah took the news about Murdoch's News Of The World going down in flames?

They were, after all, the tabloid which exposed her latest scandal with the pay-for-access-bust.

I have to believe that she is enjoying a big old mug of SCHADENFREUDE these days!

 

[MRSJ]

I think having her daughters on like that proves she is more concern with fame and public adoration then being a good mother,
very selfish of her....regardless of your childrens ages you be a good mom and say no I won't put their pain on tv

 

[Tyger]

Something I didn't understand on reading the articles about the show. Maybe Tyger can help?

The scene with Eugenie. (from the Telegraph-article):


"In the programme, Sarah received a phone call telling her the friend who originally helped set up the News of the World sting was planning to sell her story.

As daughter Eurgenie sobs nearby a voiceover by the duchess says: "Seeing Eugenie so upset brought out the fighter in me."

Leading her away, Sarah then says: 'What's wrong Eug?' to her daughter who has turned away from the cameras.
A tearful Eugenie replies: 'I don't like it.'
The duchess replies: 'It's fine baby, it's fine. Don't be sad, don't be sad, what are you getting sad for? They can't hurt you, they can't hurt us. We've got to keep tough.'"


I thought that Beatrice took that phonecall and told Sarah? At least that's how I recall it was reported. So is this whole scene made up? With a crying Eugenie? and why? If it was "scripted reality", why did Eugenie cry? Did she pretend like an actress?


Sorry, I don't get it.

Its very confusing even when you view it - at least, it was for me. There's scenes of her in London that appear to depict her being 'stared at' - that was staged. Pretty lame. The garden scene with Eugenie is done out-of-focus. Suddenly a world-class videographer messes up? Dunno. The crying sounded very real, heartbreaking, in fact. If she was acting she needs to call up a Hollywood agent!

It is an edited compilation - these cuts between 'scenes' do not mean the scenes happened 'at once'. Anyway, I got the gist of the story I think I was suppose to be seeing. Not compelling - except for the raw honesty of the daughters - Beatrice in particular.

Nothing I'd want to subject myself or my family to. These reality shows take a certain kind of psyche. I usually never watch them, actually.

The last half hour - taking place in England - went very fast and had a very different feel to the rest.

I didn't understand about the phone call, either. Thank you, silver_bic, for the explanation.

 

[Osipi]

I didn't understand about the phone call, either. Thank you, silver_bic, for the explanation.

Actually I dozed off for most of the last episode and woke up right around the time where they're at the childhood home looking at the scads of "royal pictures". I'm going to have to watch it again but I actually thought that the phone call in question was about the news release about Epstein bailing Sarah out on some debts.

All in all about the entire series. I think way too much focus was placed on the royalty angle. Sarah herself has been removed from the royal family for 15 years and the program would have been far more believable if it focused strictly on Sarah and didn't *****foot around things that seriously caused problems in her life such as the spending, the cash for access scandal and Sarah's self esteem issues. Take away mentions of Andrew, her girls pain filmed for all and sundry to see (which I felt was very inappropriate), Sarah's moaning of "the way things were", and some glimpses into different ways to address issues (the challenges) and the entire "Finding Sarah" docu-drama would easily fit into an hour show.

To me this was clearly a journey to find a self image that would put her back into the limelight after the cash for access bomb. She may be going on to write more children's books and books for teenagers but my feelings are they will do as well as her "Finding Sarah" series and book are doing now. No one really much cares. I do think Sarah is heading for a rude awakening and a big one.

 

[CrownPrincess5]

I liked seeing Beatrice and Eugenie on the show. I think Oprah was trying to emphasize the motherly part of Sarah. Most of the shows were a little boring. I end up fast forwarding to the good parts.

Does anyone know if this is it or will there be a season 2?

 

[NotAPretender]

I liked seeing Beatrice and Eugenie on the show. I think Oprah was trying to emphasize the motherly part of Sarah. Most of the shows were a little boring. I end up fast forwarding to the good parts.

Does anyone know if this is it or will there be a season 2?

Unlikely. The network may not last, and this show didn't help.

 

[AristoCat]

To me this was clearly a journey to find a self image that would put her back into the limelight after the cash for access bomb. She may be going on to write more children's books and books for teenagers but my feelings are they will do as well as her "Finding Sarah" series and book are doing now. No one really much cares. I do think Sarah is heading for a rude awakening and a big one.

I just hope it comes soon and she doesn't take her daughters along with her.

 

[Kataryn]

Thank you very much for trying to clear this up. Unfortunately I still have problems understanding it.

- So Sarah got a call, right?
- In it, she is told that "the friend who arranged for the NotW-sting" wants to sell her story.? If so, AFAIK this must be a former friend, as she (was it talked about a she?) introduced the fake sheik to Sarah and helped him get her for good. There was a lot of media reports about the fake sheik and how he has selected his "victims" after people close to them told him about bad behaviour worth making a sting out of it. So this obviously happened to Sarah - somebody who knew she brokered access to Andrew (and obviously could get her "businesspartner" something for their money, whatever that was from "whiter than white Andrew") informed the sheik and helped set Sarah up. And this person now was going to sell the story how that worked? No wonder Eugenie could imagine enough to start crying...
- But thr story never hit the papers. So I wonder. Oprah wanted more "drama" in the show. Sarah had already given all she could come up with (including child abuse). But she could show two princesses of the blood crying in front of the camera... Maybe the call was a fake? In order to make the girls cry?

After all that has happened lately surrounding Sarh, especially after I saw the video of the sale of access, her lies about her divorce settlement and the cold-hearted, brusque reaction to the Time-journalist, I have the uneasy feeling it could be a possibility.

 

[sliver_bic]

Maybe the call was a fake? In order to make the girls cry?

After all that has happened lately surrounding Sarh, especially after I saw the video of the sale of access, her lies about her divorce settlement and the cold-hearted, brusque reaction to the Time-journalist, I have the uneasy feeling it could be a possibility.

That's beyond anything I could imagine her doing. If they honestly sat there and set that scene up it's horrible. If she set her daughter up for the cameras she needs the kind of smacking around that'll leave scars.

 

[Osipi]

That's beyond anything I could imagine her doing. If they honestly sat there and set that scene up it's horrible. If she set her daughter up for the cameras she needs the kind of smacking around that'll leave scars.

I don't think the girl's reactions and tears were from any kind of a fake source but I do think there is something severely wrong with thinking it is anywhere near OK to allow one's children to be filmed under such duress for entertainment purposes. To me that ranks right up there with any kind of perceived child abuse that Sarah claims to have suffered.

My opinion of Sarah has drastically gone downhill and now is starting to dig a tunnel. This woman is a very self-centered, narcissistic legend in her own mind.

 

[Russophile]

I did want Sarah to pull herself up and out and move on with her life.
However, seeing her cash in on her daughters HRH status by putting them on Oprah really chaps my hide. IMO, Andrew needs to step away. The girls cannot, she's their mother, however this behavior from a 50+ year old woman who KNOWS better really, IMO, cannot be condoned.

 

[rmay286]

After all that has happened lately surrounding Sarh, especially after I saw the video of the sale of access, her lies about her divorce settlement and the cold-hearted, brusque reaction to the Time-journalist, I have the uneasy feeling it could be a possibility.

I watched the clips of the last "Finding Sarah" on the OWN website, and one of them was the scene with Eugenie crying. Something about the call felt phony to me. Remember...we heard that Oprah wanted more access to the girls, more "drama", more tears. Then comes this finale episode where the cameras "just happen" to catch Sarah receiving a "dramatic" phone call, and she just happens to be with Eugenie. For some reason, Sarah is calm (and goes on camera afterward proclaiming that she was able to handle the situation so much better than last year, when she would have been a mess). But Eugenie isn't calm at all - she's distraught and tearful. If the news in this call was really so upsetting, why isn't Sarah panicking just as much as Eugenie? And if the phone call was true and the friend was going to sell her story, why did it never appear in the media?

It doesn't make sense - there are too many holes and things that don't add up. A couple years ago I watched a season of "The Bachelorette", and since I rarely watch reality shows, I actually believed in most of it. Then I read about the behind-the-scenes drama and how these shows are actually produced. The tapes, right down to conversations and even sentences, are heavily edited, and a lot of the drama is contrived by the producers. This might help explain why the scenes in "Finding Sarah" seem disjointed and the storyline doesn't always make sense - it's because we're watching scenes out of sequence and edited. The producers are trying to create a storyline, which means rising action, climax and last minute plot twists. They needed to show a scene where Sarah's personal growth was tested, so I wouldn't be surprised if the OWN producers engineered that phone call. I don't know whether Sarah believed it was genuine or not. I am sure Eugenie did, because her emotion seemed real.

Maybe the producers told Sarah beforehand that she was going to face a stressful situation to test her personal growth - but they didn't tell her what that situation would be.

It's sad that I don't put it past Sarah to manipulate her daughters in order to get cash from this reality show. I don't really dislike Sarah any more than I did in the past - I guess, having read Allan Starkie and Madame Vasso's accounts of Sarah, back when she was a member of the royal family, I've always known she had a dark side. The difference is that now she is showing that side of her personality publicly. I just don't understand how Sarah can be so blind to the way she is coming across on this show. It doesn't seem like she's "trying" at all. I only see sincerity and attentiveness in her eyes when she raises the question of self-worth, which she did again with Oprah, "How did you get your self worth?" I think the problem is that Sarah doesn't have self-worth, and as a result, she's stopped trying to maintain an acceptable public persona. Now she's just trying to stay afloat until Andrew, her "knight on a white charger", rides in and rescues her again.

 

[Russophile]

Well Rmay, why should she change? She's getting what she wants which is attention. She reminds me of my ex husband: When things were going swimmingly he HAD to create some sort of drama. He had to MAKE trouble just to find out how much I loved him. I see this in Sarah: How much to you love me Andrew? Girls, what would you do for Mummy to show her how much you love her?

 

[Meadow]

I think putting the girls in the show really shows how much she hasn't changed. It sound awful and knowing reality shows the way I do I would bet the phone call was staged. That was the real reason she didn't seem to be bothered and Eugenie was. Clearly the girls can see she hasn't changed and her forcing them to say she has was cruel and only done to show her in a good light. She will spin Beatrice's tears as ones of joy seeing her mother in such a new positive light instead of the grief and pain that others actually saw. Sarah was never there to find herself she was there to get some attention and cash and to find a way to continue to get both in the States. I don't think it has worked out and any of her books are going to do badly because the trust in her is gone from most people. Fergie's Farm sounds horrible and so do the books giving advice to teenagers. She can't look after herself and people will notice that! Her daughters seem to be doing well inspite of her instead of because of her and that shows too. I wonder what Sarah will do next?

 

[sliver_bic]

Does it matter what she's going to do next? Anything short of having a real revelation will just lead to more pain and suffering for her family.

The picture of her and the family is so sad. All those people smiling, happy. She is her own worst enemy and more and more it seems that she's is that type of person really doesn't care as long as she gets her way. Part of me held out hope that she was, at worst, an idiot who couldn't keep herself together. That's bad but there's no inherent maliciousness with a person whose overly trusting or simply a ditz. Sarah seems like something else. Something unfortunate.

She could've easily done the graveside visit without the camera but she needed the camera there. What's hopeless is the comments beneath the video. Amazing that, in today's world where we're so interconnected, people can still be fooled by this crap. They've been given a story by their Queen Oprah and they've swallowed it whole but what's horrible is that this show could've been what it makes itself out to be.

 

[glassary]

I wonder what Sarah will do next?

Whatever she choses to do I can definately say there will be several key phrases which will appear in whatever it is.
*I had it all and I blew it.
*I married the prince and lost him.
*I had the fairytale.
*Andrew is my best friend.
*We are an unbreakable unit.
While the show was interesting in a voyeur type of way it didn't show Sarah changing her ways.
Like many I also feel that OWN staged events to make it appear that the OWN experts who "helped" Sarah to her breakthrough succeeded.

 

[Dymphna]

I did want Sarah to pull herself up and out and move on with her life.
However, seeing her cash in on her daughters HRH status by putting them on Oprah really chaps my hide. IMO, Andrew needs to step away. The girls cannot, she's their mother, however this behavior from a 50+ year old woman who KNOWS better really, IMO, cannot be condoned.

I agree. I wonder if Andrew ever saw this footage? If so, he should be furious--or at least the Queen should. Not that either of them have time to watch an Oprah show, but Sarah is dragging her daughters down with her now.

Is this/she why they are not going to be working royals? The whole thing is so very sad.

 

[Grandma828]

I don't believe Sarah will change unless or until she is forced. How that could be accomplished is way beyond my immagination. Believe me going on Oprah wasn't even a good attempt. Any real work will have to be in private because it will require hard work. I think Oprah was just trying to make money. It is just my opinion, but I don't think much of Oprah. I quit watching her long ago because she had to dramatize everything. That is just an old woman's opinion.

 

[Duchess of Darwin]

Sarah is absolutley dispicable

I hope that Andrew and The Queen hear about this footage, watch it, and take some serious measures. Beatrice and Eugenie have been outright abused, and I hope noone believes that Beatrice's tears were ones of joy, or that the phone call was genuine. This is putrid, and if it doesn't have some serious consequences for Sarah, then I am officially a Republican

 

[AristoCat]

Sarah is absolutley dispicable
I hope that Andrew and The Queen hear about this footage, watch it, and take some serious measures. Beatrice and Eugenie have been outright abused, and I hope noone believes that Beatrice's tears were ones of joy, or that the phone call was genuine. This is putrid, and if it doesn't have some serious consequences for Sarah, then I am officially a Republican

Neither the Queen or Andrew have ever done anything about her, even after the cash scandal, so I think they will end up doing nothing and leaving the princesses to fend for themselves.

A Choice comment I personally liked:

The harm this woman is doing to her children is massive. She's using them for emotional support in a way that's completely detrimental to their wellbeing. To have a Mother who is so unstable and needy, unpredictable and childish, out of control and selfish does untold harm to children. They NEVER feel safe or secure. That coupled with the pressure of 'looking after Mum' from a young age, makes kids HAVE to grow up terribly fast, and they lose that part of childhood that's so important in everyone's emotional growth. Without it they'll always feel hollow and lost. That plus the guilt that kids always feel when they see a parent 'drowning' is something that will affect every relationship they ever have. I hope Sarah makes enough money for her daughters' therapy, cos they'll need it. I always hear her declare ''I'm a good Mum''. Well Sarah, you could scarcely be a worse Mother than you are. You're sucking them into your vortex of desperation and robbing them of their youth. SHAME ON YOU.
- becky, london, 26/7/2011 1:42

 

[Meadow]

I have to agree I think this is showing the real Sarah and it isn't a pretty sight. The girls look so distraught in this show and I doubt the Queen can ignore what is being written. She may not see the footage but she will read about it. The girls are old enough to know something isn't right. Maybe in the future it will be them who cause Sarah to actually change I think it will be the only way. The girls both seem to be in long term relationships so they have some support I do hope that Sarah isn't allowed to interfere in their relationships and her want of money and exposure could cause them all problems. I have noticed that Sarah always seems to go to events with Beatrice which surprises me as she has a long term partner who should be going with her not her mother. Sarah should let the girls have there time in the sun and not show up with them to places I doubt she was invited. It actually looks sad her standing there holding the girls hands they are too old to have mum hanging around the way she does. Sarah can't live without the attention but she does nothing to actually deserve any. When she does it is usually something bad and will continue to be. I would be surprised if Oprah offers her anymore work after this. People seem to be becoming more aware she isn't anywhere near the Royal Family and hasn't been for a long time. The stories and pictures she shows are all old there is nothing new another reason I think she wants to get back with Andrew. I think Oprah thought she was getting more but Sarah oversold herself again!

 

[AristoCat]

I personally think that Oprah wants to sink her claws into the princesses and gain a more substantial royal connection through them.

 

[sthreats]

I personally think that Oprah wants to sink her claws into the princesses and gain a more substantial royal connection through them.

Maybe. Oprah is a media mogul. But these are Sarah's children and it is her responsibility to protect them. She reminds me of young girls who get pregnant on purpose as teens. They usually have rough childhoods and have a baby because 'the baby will love me' and. 'The baby will never leave me'.

Sarah is 50 not 15. It's time to put the big girl panties on and grow up. Stop blaming everyone from your mother to the queen for your poor life c hoices. And stop using your girls for media attention, financial support, and emotional help.

Sorry for going off but as a mother of two-I'm disgusted. A mother would have yelled at the camera to shut off not record a voice over that she is a lioness.


What's next-Real Housewives of London? Tableflipping?

 

[Daisiesforever]

In Sara's case, being out of the royal familiy, I think she feels that any publicity, even bad, is better than none at all. I really feel Andrew should have stepped in long ago to address this matter. She maybe the mother of his children but it is definitely time to stop shifting blame. I do feel for Beatrice and Eugene. This type of publicity will soon start to have serious negative effects in their lives.

 

[AristoCat]

Sorry for going off but as a mother of two-I'm digusted. A mother would have yelled at the camera to shut off not record a voice over that she is a lioness.

She's no mother, she just gave birth. They aren't her daughters, they're just meal tickets to her so she can get VIP invitations. She was dragging them to such places when they were barely teens.

But these are Sarah's children and it is her responsibility to protect them

Yeah, well, she's failing miserably and put frankly I am disgusted that HM is being so diffident about the fact that the girls are being used and exploited.

 

[NotAPretender]

I agree. I wonder if Andrew ever saw this footage? If so, he should be furious--or at least the Queen should. Not that either of them have time to watch an Oprah show, but Sarah is dragging her daughters down with her now.

Is this/she why they are not going to be working royals? The whole thing is so very sad.

IIRC, Oprah had lunch with Andrew and "the girls" earlier this year, before the first episode of this aired. She might have been letting them know what the content would be.

You are 100% correct; Andrew should be steaming about this. Maybe he's realizing this and rather than having fought to stay in his role as UK Trade Ambassador, agreed to step aside. Even he must realize how desperately Sarah is compromising both the present and the future of the Royal Yorks. It's the tail wagging the dog, IMO!