What is your opinion about Sarah, Duchess of York?

[Bella]

Originally Posted by servingsophie

I wonder if we were having the same forum discussion but about Princess Diana, the same people condemning the Duchess would still be sitting on their high moral horses?

Diana wasn't viewed in the same way as Sarah for many reasons. As I've said before (when comparing the treatment/perception of Sarah and Diana), Diana's public persona was much more "agreeable" than was Sarah's. Again, Diana was quiet and elegant, she was physically more attractive and, perhaps most important, she was totally devoted to her sons. I feel people looked at Sarah as selfish and obnoxious. It was Me, Me, Me. When her children were small Sarah didn't fuss and hover over them in the way Diana did (and people loved Diana for showing open affection and adoration for her boys). There were probably just as many pictures of Pss. Beatrice & Eugenie with their nanny as there were pictures of them with Sarah. Sarah was always off on some "holiday" (often in the company of her 'financial advisor') while her daughters were left at home. Diana bucked the old royal regime by demanding her children accompany her on visits whenever they could. That says alot to many people. Also, Sarah hopped on the charity bandwagon later than Diana who was always out about something, AIDS being one of the big ones at the time - and that endeared her to alot of ppl as well. Sarah was seen more as the party girl. And I'm telling you, Diana was seen as the VICTIM in that whole cheating thing. She didn't cheat until AFTER Charles and, of course, she was DRIVEN to it by his consistent cheating (at least this is how it was perceived by many). Sarah's husband DID NOT CHEAT on her so she had no excuse for what she did (again this was public sentiment). So there are many reasons why Diana was not and will never be viewed in the same light as Sarah. I'm not saying I agree with them, but these are, IMO, some of the reasons.

[BeatrixFan]

I wonder if we were having the same forum discussion but about Princess Diana, the same people condemning the Duchess would still be sitting on their high moral horses?

You dont want to get me started on that one.

[Duchess]

while i agree that sarah certainly lacks the elegance and grace that are a requirement of the job, i find it funny that no one mentioned the fact the royal family knew her personality when her and andrew married. this is one reason why i'm on the side of "royals marrying other royals". it's easy to sit on the outside and say "this is what's expected of you when you marry into the windsors" but i'm sure there's lots of things that outsiders don't know. i like sarah's outgoing personality but it certainly did nothing to endear her to the people that could have helped her....then again diana's grace and elegance didn't help with those people either.

[BeatrixFan]

Well, I think we're forgetting that apparantly Andrew loved Fergie and the Queen as a mother had to accept his choice just as she did with her other children. But I agree with you Duchess - it's a very very hard job and having good looks and decorum helps. But you can't beat breeding. Royals should marry other Royals - they know what's expected and what's required and it avoids upset. In saying that, we have Mary and Maxima who were commoners.

[Bella]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

In saying that, we have Mary and Maxima who were commoners.

I know this isn't the correct thread, but I just have to comment: Mary consistently looks on the verge of a nervous breakdown, IMO. Something is not entirely right there.

As for the royal family knowing Sarah's personality, true - but I still say it was her responsibility to adhere to the protocol and regime of the royals. Most of it is common sense behavior. And while it's not fair to judge someone based on their looks/physical appearance, Sarah could have done more to "upgrade" herself a bit in terms of her dress style. Most importantly, though, she could have toned it down a bit, at least in public.

[iowabelle]

Initially, I think Sarah's personality was one of the reasons that the Windsors embraced her. I think the Queen Mother once remarked that Princess Michael was "much too grand for one of us", and Sarah lacked the quality of grandeur. (Diana, on the other hand, was very proud of her Spencer heritage, which some members of her family seemed to view as superior to that of the Windsors'.) Oddly enough, being average seems to have played to Sarah's detriment but to Sophie's advantage.

[BeatrixFan]

The Queen said of Princess Michael, "She's more Royal than any of us" but I think that MC's problem was her German heritage and her faith. Diana had the breeding but was temperamental so yes, I can see how Sarah would have been embraced at that time when there were alot of big characters in the Royal Family and I think Sophie was more "let's go for a quiet one". I think that Sarah just seemed to lack spark and more than that - she tried too hard. Philip apparantly liked Sarah and got on well with her but she soon became far too irritating because she wanted to impress too much. The problem is, how do you prepare for Royal life? Camilla has had alot of time to be around Royalty so she's more wise than say, Sarah was when she married into the family. Sarah had to take advice and she sadly chose the wrong people to take advice from.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by iowabelle

Oddly enough, being average seems to have played to Sarah's detriment but to Sophie's advantage.

I'm not sure what you mean by "average" here, but Sarah and Sophie are two very different women. I can't imagine anyone calling Sophie loud and tacky, and, though I like Sarah, I have to admit that she is that way inclined.

[BeatrixFan]

Sophie isn't loud and tacky - but she was naive which went against her. I still haven't really taken to her.

[iowabelle]

I guess by "average" I meant not from a noble/grand family (like Diana's); not super-educated; not especially good-looking (like a model); not having lots of money (like Marie Chantal's family).

I do think Sophie is delicately pretty, and although Sarah can be good-looking, she really favors Major Ron too much to be pretty.

Maybe the difference between Sarah and Sophie is that Sarah has a really "big" personality, while Sophie is more quiet.

Another idea on the differences between them. I think that Sarah and Diana egged each other on (two needy people rebelling against the system), while Sarah was gone and Diana virtually out of the system when Sophie appeared.

[Duchess]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Sophie isn't loud and tacky - but she was naive which went against her. I still haven't really taken to her.

how do you mean "naive"?

[BeatrixFan]

That Sheik interview. I don't think I can quite get over her calling our dear Queen Mother, "the old woman".

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

That Sheik interview. I don't think I can quite get over her calling our dear Queen Mother, "the old woman".

That pales into insignificance when compared with "chief leper at the leper colony", which is how the delightful Diana referred to the Queen Mother at least once.

I'm not aware of Sarah speaking disparagingly about her grandmother-in-law.

[BeatrixFan]

Yes, isn't it nice how Diana respected her elders?How sweet and innocent that woman was eh?

[Elspeth]

I'm beginning to lose track of who this thread is about. We're not about to get into a Diana digression, I sincerely hope.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by iowabelle

I guess by "average" I meant not from a noble/grand family (like Diana's); not super-educated; not especially good-looking (like a model); not having lots of money (like Marie Chantal's family).

I do think Sophie is delicately pretty, and although Sarah can be good-looking, she really favors Major Ron too much to be pretty.

Maybe the difference between Sarah and Sophie is that Sarah has a really "big" personality, while Sophie is more quiet.

Another idea on the differences between them. I think that Sarah and Diana egged each other on (two needy people rebelling against the system), while Sarah was gone and Diana virtually out of the system when Sophie appeared.

Thanks for explaining. Sophie was lucky not to be caught up in the Diana/Sarah problems. She had the benefit of her Prince being around all the time and not having the same obligations as his brothers.

This Sophie talk doesn't really belong here, I know, so I won't say any more.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

I'm beginning to lose track of who this thread is about. We're not about to get into a Diana digression, I sincerely hope.

Oh no! Definitely not.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

Sarah may have found life as a royal difficult, so why does she try to trade on it now? Wouldn't the sensible thing have been to withdrawn from such a public life?

skydragon, that could be because she has a living to get and it sells better than anything else. She did trade on her royal connections because that's basically how she got back on her feet. Her family and the royal family was pushing her to do so and quite rightly so. I don't think the Queen would have held back custody of the children but if Sarah had been truly destitute, the Queen would have naturally been concerned about the girls in Sarah's care.

Sarah's family wasn't well off, Andrew didn't have a large income and she had enormous debts. I think she could have found a more decorous and respectable way to pay off her debts but with the amounts she owed, it would have taken much much longer and one has to wonder how her daughters would have fared.

I share your distaste for the loud and tacky and when Sarah was a royal, I thought she was the most inappropriate royal in the family. I cringed whenever I saw her and was glad to see her leave. Now she's not royal and she really isn't affecting the reputation and standing of the royal family in the hearts of the public. In fact, someone asked a British royal reporter whether Sarah's second financial crisis (mid 90s ?) made a damper on the royal family's reputation and he said, "No, because nobody sees her as royal anymore." Sarah stopped affecting the standing of the royal family soon after her split.

Oddly enough, although Sarah was the most inappropriate royal, ironically she is probably the most appropriate spokesperson for a Weight Watcher program. Look at the class and decorum of the other spokesperson for a weight program, Anna Nicole Smith, for TrimSpa!

In the market Sara's in - a professional spokesperson doing the American late night and talk show circuit - loud and over the top is exactly what the market wants - the louder the better. Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O'Donnell - these are all big over-the-top personalities and big personalities attract viewers and sell products.

Sarah has paid off her debts but I don't think she brimming with cash - I think this career is here to stay for awhile. But she's not hurting the Royal Family so I'm happy for her that she's making out and not in the royal family (that means not re-married to Andrew)