Sarah, Duchess of York: "Cash for Access" - May 2010

[Zonk]

This certainly doesn't put Andrew in the best light. And I recognize the possiblity exists that he didn't know about it. There have been tons of people who have questioned Andrew post and his fitness for it and whether or not he plays a pivotal role in bringing business to Britian (which is what I understand to be the main focus of his position). Whether it true or not, the most people up in arms with this Fergie thing don't really care if Andrew is an asset in the position or not.

I agree that Sarah needs to go away..if nothing else to regroup. She needs to focus on charity and writing, of which she is pretty good at and stop trying to good life. And really, I wish she would stop comparing her divorce to Diana's.

Diana was married to the Prine of Wales and he had the Duchy to fall back on. Andrew was in the service and that is what he had to fall back on. The Queens money should not pay into it. Its not as Andrew wasn't paying some type of child support. If your income changes after you divorce, you change your style of living. Its that simple.

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by Zonk

If your income changes after you divorce, you change your style of living. Its that simple.

Very well put, Zonk.

[Zonk]

Thanks Madame Royale.

Let's not forget, Beatrice and Eugenie's lifestyle wasn't going to change.

It should also be noted that Sarah and Diana came from different lifestyles from the get go. Diana with the Spencers, their history, money, art and land. And Sarah, with the history but no art and land and very little money. Sarah's grandmother after all was a Montagu Scott, the same as the late Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.

[karla64]

Yeah I agree with Zonk....

[Penny Lane]

I don't disagree that she can be self-destructive but she's expected to live a certain way but without the money to do it.I think her divorce lawyers did her no favors .Sarah could have remarried to someone with means or the Queen could have offered a better settlement for her excluding either one I'm not sure what she was supposed to do.

[Elly C]

The Royal Family have a knack of riding the storm when it comes to these kind of situations. Unless Sarah does something to stir things up again (either knowingly or otherwise), I can't see the Queen or Andrew reacting & giving in to any public pressures for some kind of "punishment "for Sarah. However, over time I think Andrew's friendship with Sarah will have to cool - now the girls are grown the joint parenting argument isn't so pressing for example. What is worrying, is Sarah's obvious fragility right now, not to mention her financial debts, & who knows what rash decisions she may make to get herself out of this mess.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by NotAPretender

Well, The Firm has some decisions to make. Essentially, there are two choices: Sarah has a public life in order to make a living, or Sarah has a private life in which she is "retired" from her public life and afforded a grace-and-favor and an allowance.

Neither choice is savory.

In essence, Sarah has painted the BRF into a corner with her continued antics. Should she be rewarded for this? As distasteful as it might be, then yes, if the quid-pro-quo is that she has no access to monies beyond that which are granted by the family. Her endless quest for money has led her down some unseemly paths. What started this? Her unquenchable thirst for a lifestyle to which she was not born, not entitled, and could only earn her way into (and spend her way out of.)

Just when everyone thinks that either 1) she's finally settled down; or 2) how on earth can she top this? - Sarah finds a way to make us all choke on our morning coffee. At the very least, this didn't have anything to do with sex this time, for which I am deeply grateful. The mental pictures would be unspeakable.

She received a paltry divorce settlement and you know - it was an appropriate settlement. She had to go earn her own living, and she did. She spent more than she made, which is what a lot of the world did. She did it in a spectacularly public fashion, however, and in an unseemly display.

She's out there peddling her DoY style because that's all she's got. She's a poorly educated, massively soiled piece of well-used baggage at this point, entirely unemployable. I was thinking that even Simon Cowell wouldn't hire her (and I thought that when I read that she was seated with him at the awards last evening.)

She's simply greedy. And so very child-like (not in a good way) as to require - and I am not joking here - a financial guardianship. I'm appalled that she openly admits to living off her childrens' trust. The prior Duchess of York (Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) must be rolling so hard in her grave that one could hear her banging when standing next to it.

My solution is this:

1) The BRF provides for her an apartment or home similar to that which was provided for, say, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia, who was given Frogmore Cottage in Windsor Great Park ;

2) Living expenses for her residence are provided and paid directly from the private funds of the BRF (Andrew, his mother, whoever) but it's made crystal clear that it's not on the public's back. This would include all utilities, food provided directly from the Royal kitchens, and minimal staff such as housemaid, cook, gardener ;

3) Financial guardianship is established and a monthly allowance paid from her divorce settlement plus an additional stipend based on her net earnings from speaking engagements (net meaning her gross fee less all the absurd expenses that she demanded be covered for her in her contracts.) By this I mean: using her past earnings (perhaps normalized over a five year period)on a net basis to provide the benchmark for the additional stipend amount;

4) Any engagements or sources of outside income are vetted through the office of whichever part of the BRF has the unenviable task of trying to ride herd on her. Perhaps a secretary to be appointed from the office of the Duke of York to handle her financial and personal affairs. I hereby dub this person to be the Keeper of the Redhead;

5) Quiet word to go out to whoever her creditors currently are that their claims will be paid in due course but that in no way will anyone be responsible for any debts incurred by Sarah beyond those which are approved by the newly appointed Keeper of the Redhead;

6) A full financial and physical forensic analysis is performed. Specifically, the Keeper of the Redhead must hire forensic accountants and private investigators to find out the full extent of what she's been up to. A physical examination including a full battery of psychiatric examination must be undertaken because, to be perfectly blunt, I think Sarah may be suffering from undiagnosed mental illness such as bipolar disorder complicated by one or two personality disorders such as narcissistic and/or histrionic personality disorder.

7) Conditions attached to this include complete non-disclosure as well as close monitoring of her ongoing mental and physical health and her participation in approved medical and psychiatric treatment (excluding any unproven therapies like crystals or pyramid light tents or auras or other ^%^&) ;

It goes without saying - but whatever does actually go without saying with this one? - that any personal relationship with Andrew is ended. Since Andrew has proven himself flaccid in the face of Sarah's wildness, he just must be removed from this equation. He appears to be a good father to his girls; let him continue in that role and succeed. However, he's beyond tainted in his role as a trade envoy, so that has to end.

As tempting as it would be to just cut her loose - that girl is quite loose enough.

IMO the reason that the BRF need to be involved is to prevent Sarah from causing any further public embarassment to the family.

I do not believe that she can be completely cut off - in her desperation (for financial, and possibly emoptional support), she may cause further embarassment. It might be safer to provide her with financial security but keep her in tight reigns as a condition of financial support.

I don't think we need physical proximity to the BRF, and I do not think the solution has to be "grand". I cannot why she cannot be installed in an apartment someplace (abroad?), with enough to comfortably live on (say $3,000 per month) as many middle class people do. I do not believe she needs any staff to support her. She can write books or support charities or go to the gym, but she has to maintain a low profile.

..... and Andrew needs to stop seeing her.

The BRF will be klooking to cut their expenses going forward, and I doubt if they will want to install a Keeper of the Redhead.

[Zonk]

But why should the Queen offer a settlement? She wasn't married to Sarah. It isn't the responsibily of the mother of the husband to pay off someone's divorce...its the responsibilty of the respondents. And lets face it, prior to their divorce...did Andrew have any money?

He wasn't born when George VI died so not sure if he was left anything for the Queen's future children when he died. Phillip's parents had nothing. Any older royals (i.e. Marie Louise, etc.) left money to their god children (Prince Richard of Gloucester). The only time Andrew has come into any type of money (to our knowledge) has occured when the Queen Mother died. And Andrew and Sarah were divorced WAY before that.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by tommy1716

It might be the best way to make sure anything like this never happens again but the bigger question is WHY should he have to do this? Sarah has a divorce settlement, whether fair or not she accepted this settlement. Andrew, her own children of HM for that matter shouldn't have to pay her off and keep her in a house and with an allowance. She has had more than enough money pass through her hands over her life. I read somewhere that she has 12 staff workign for her, why should anyone bail her out when she has such massive spending problems?

.... only to stop Sarah from publicly embarassing the royals!

[Elly C]

Originally Posted by muriel

, but she has to maintain a low profile.

Yes, but this is one thing that she seems unable to do. Sadly there are plenty of individuals out there who will encourage her lapses & pay big money for them. I don't think any amount of settlement would be able to ensure she maintained a quiet & dignified retreat from public life.

[Lumutqueen]

The only thing the royal family should do, is cut her loose.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Elly C

Yes, but this is one thing that she seems unable to do. Sadly there are plenty of individuals out there who will encourage her lapses & pay big money for them. I don't think any amount of settlement would be able to ensure she maintained a quiet & dignified retreat from public life.

IMO, Andrew ought to make it clear any bail-out now will be the last one, and if she breaks the terms of the arrangement, she will be out on a limb completely.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

The only thing the roytl family should do, is cut her loose.

.... yes, but she can be a loose cannon, and do more even more damage!

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by muriel

.... yes, but she can be a loose cannon, and do more even more damage!

Well then they are going to have a spend a lot of money to shut her up.
They have a choice.
1. Cut her loose, allow her access to her children and thats it.
2. Take her back into the royal fold and look after her.

Because she is still used to the royal family, she is used to living at royal lodge, used to getting what she wanted, used to being waited on, being allowed to a-list parties. She doesn't like living without it. She should not live in the lap of luxury when her only excuse is "I am the mother to two princess".

[Zonk]

Sarah isn't embarassing the royals..she is embarassing herself and more importantly her children. Who the heck wants to hear that she is living off handoffs from her children's trust fund? I am sure the Queen Mother is rolling over in her grave the money was for them...not her mother.

She certainly brings unwarranted attention on the BRF and Andy, but make no mistake about it. Sarah looks bad.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Zonk

She certainly brings unwarranted attention on the BRF and Andy, but make no mistake about it. Sarah looks bad.

Quite right!

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Zonk

Sarah looks bad.

Sarah has always looked bad.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

Well then they are going to have a spend a lot of money to shut her up.
They have a choice.
1. Cut her loose, allow her access to her children and thats it.
2. Take her back into the royal fold and look after her.

Because she is still used to the royal family, she is used to living at royal lodge, used to getting what she wanted, used to being waited on, being allowed to a-list parties. She doesn't like living without it. She should not live in the lap of luxury when her only excuse is "I am the mother to two princess".

Yes, but if you compeltely cut her loose, you run the risk of:

a) her entering into more dodgy deals
b) publishing a book about her royal life, or how terrible the BRF have been to her, or
c) using her daughters to push her commercial interests.

[Zonk]

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

Sarah has always looked bad.

Sarah always looks bad but somehow she has managed to look like the victim to some (myself included). Honestly, I am not sure she can over come this...how many times can you be down and out and rise like a phoenix.

Morevor, on the Today this morning, a journalist this morning said she offered to arrange a meeting with Andrew with at least three people. No official proof, but if this is true...Goodness! It makes one wonder how often she has done this..is this the first time?

It makes me think of the unnamed Palace sources who described her as "vulgar vulgar vulgar." At the time I thought they were evil, did not support her and totally over dramatizing her actions. But now, not so sure. She brought shame on herself, her children and cause unncessary drama for HM The Queen, someone she adores and would be crushed if she let her down. How do you feel now?

I used to love Sarah warts and all but this is unforgiveable. She is like a child who refuses to grow up.

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by Zonk

But why should the Queen offer a settlement? She wasn't married to Sarah. It isn't the responsibily of the mother of the husband to pay off someone's divorce...its the responsibilty of the respondents. And lets face it, prior to their divorce...did Andrew have any money?

He wasn't born when George VI died so not sure if he was left anything for the Queen's future children when he died. Phillip's parents had nothing. Any older royals (i.e. Marie Louise, etc.) left money to their god children (Prince Richard of Gloucester). The only time Andrew has come into any type of money (to our knowledge) has occured when the Queen Mother died. And Andrew and Sarah were divorced WAY before that.

I understand and agree wth many things you say Zonk- but the Queen showed a contemptuous favoritism then to Diana by giving her a funeral- when she was not married to Diana which she did not have to do did she?The Queen payed off Charles' divorce right down to the last by going against her principles of not wanting to come in and acknowledge the bouquets of flowers.. left at Kensington Place.... and putting the flag at half staff at Buck Place etc.... and making a speech on TV........ but acquiesced to keep her own station safe- shrewd lady indeed!!!!!...
So let me get this straight- One here is contemptuously favoured- and one is disfavoured- because it was the fact that Diana was perrfect that Sarah was second or last in line all the time.
I understand she is tragically flawed but the Queen is the one of the richest women in the world and to give her a paltry sum of $3,000 per month as has been suggested here to go away and be quiet is ridiculous-
I am the first to defend Her Majesty in what she does and thinks- she married a Greek Prince after all but-we do not know everything regarding what depth and chirascuro of troubles Sarah has gotten into so I would think this sensible of all the monarchs- could take her aside yet again- and settle it out- because she is who she is Queen Elizabeth and that rings with credibility and to me better than law enforcement- psych wards and all- it would make anyone smarten up in a hurry.
TO me Sarah is fast becoming the latest Duchess of Windsor and the one to dislike - it is becoming a way of life - yet they were cast aside too- Wallis and Edward- so they went to give Hitler a handshake- reactionary- stuff- against those that has snubbed them.......... repeat history; transfer of poison ivies.