Oh, yes, rmay286. But well-heeled daughters paying out for Mum's treats (and they wouldn't be the only ones) is vastly different from unsubstantiated allegations that Mum's stealing from the kids. Actually, as the trusts weren't set up by Sarah such actions would constitute a criminal offence. As my children have small trust funds set up by their grandparents, I know of what I speak, Australian law mirroring English law, as it does.
I only mentioned this at all because it's indicative of the extent to which some of the press will go to discredit anyone who falls out of favour this week, this month, etc.
Likewise the charges that Sarah's lazy. Maybe, but looking at her cv from the last few years certainly doesn't give me that impression.
I don't know, either, that her losses were her fault as I don't know what they actually are or how they came about. However, I have friends and family in the UK and the US who have suffered enormous losses through no fault of their own. Some who were living comfortably on investments no longer enjoy a regular income; some who were in business have almost gone to the wall because others can't pay their business accounts; some had business loans which were called in, unexpectedly, by the banks because the banks were in deep doo-doo from mismangement......there are a myriad reasons why decent, hardworking and honourable people have hit the wall. Whether Sarah is in this category I just don't know, but I'm prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt until I do.
One of my near relatives works, voluntarily, as a financial and business adviser to The Prince's Trust. I believe him, absolutely, when he says that even successful, well-funded and well-structured businesses have been in great peril in recent years with unexpected and surprise defalcations by some debtors, the banking crisis, the loss of spending power by many, and that more financial stress is still anticipated.
In sum, until I have absolute proof that the Duchess did anything untoward, un-businesslike, or downight dodgy, then I'm prepared to feel sorry for her and her financial calamities.
Best to all.