What is your opinion about Sarah, Duchess of York?

[hibou]

While I'm not a huge fan of Sarah, I have to say that I admire that she pulled herself out of financial ruin with lucrative contracts (obviouly not a royal thing to do) but none the less it was hard to dig out from the mess she made.

Also I have to say that for the first time ever, I felt sorry for her at the dinner she attended with Prince Andrew in NY. While I understand the need for protocal, I felt it was a demeaning thing to do to anyone. Would they have done that if Prince Andrew had brought another date.? I don't think so because it would have been seen as an insult to the Prince, so why isn't it now?JMO

[rosana]

I think she has overcome very well her problems, especially with money, and my opinion is that she´s very nice, likeable, and sincere.

[Furienna]

I don't know much about her, but what I have heard has given me a negative opinion of her. But I don't even remember which these negative things were. I just never saw her in a positive light. But I know almost nothing about her (except that she let her boyfriend such her toes in public or something like that), so I won't say anymore.

[Opal]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

I wish she would stop living off her royal connections in the states. I remember watching a programme where she told Ruby Wax that she was still an HRH and although it was a long time ago, the memory lingers.

I know what you mean Skydragon, I remember watching an episode of David Letterman and he mentioned her daughters by name (asking how they were or something), and instead of Sarah saying there names or "my daughters", she said with emphasis, "The Princesses", as if she was correcting him or reminding him of who they were. It was just the way she said it... at the time it just made me think, "whoa, she likes to emphasize her connection with Royalty". Of course then David made sure to acknowledge their status.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by rchat

I know what you mean Skydragon, I remember watching an episode of David Letterman and he mentioned her daughters by name (asking how they were or something), and instead of Sarah saying there names or "my daughters", she said with emphasis, "The Princesses", as if she was correcting him or reminding him of who they were. It was just the way she said it... at the time it just made me think, "whoa, she likes to emphasize her connection with Royalty". Of course then David made sure to acknowledge their status.

I don't think you can read that from Sarah's statement.

The girls' legal names are HRH The Princess Beatrice and HRH The Princess Eugenie. Together they would be TRH The Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Princess Anne and Princess Margaret were known to put pesky commoners quite firmly in their place for trying to get too chummy when referring to a royal relative with phrases like 'your mother' or 'your sister' or 'your brother'. Anne would turn around and say "Are you referring to Her Majesty the Queen?" Its got to be a family habit.

I loved it.

[jcbcode99]

When it comes to Sarah, I have to admit that I never particularly cared for her. I thought that she lacked the necessary sort of decorum to be a part of the RF; however, that is probably why Prince Andrew loved her. I do think that she uses her former status to progress and elevate her current status, and while it doesn't particulary affect me, I feel for her children--who by the way are really, really beautiful girls. The Duke and his former wife have done a wonderful job of raising them, and they are all content with the living situation. I'm just glad she is wearing more appropriate clothing now!!
JCB

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by Zonk

This thread by all means is not just for Sarah supporters. It is to share the current events and news of Sarah, Duches of York.

It's really to share opinions. Discussions about current events and news should go in this thread.

It does seem, however, that we do spend a lot of time "rehashing" old issues and defending and/or criticizing Sarah for past behavior. IMO at lot of people have a formed opinion of Sarah (and they are entitled to it) and unless something drastic happens...its not going to change anytime soon. So why do we go round and round in circles.

Usually because a new person finds the thread and adds an opinion. Since most opinions are either for, against, or indifferent, it's unlikely anything really new is going to be added, but people are still entitled to post their opinions regardless.

[Princess BellyFlop]

Originally Posted by ysbel

I don't think you can read that from Sarah's statement.

The girls' legal names are HRH The Princess Beatrice and HRH The Princess Eugenie. Together they would be TRH The Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Princess Anne and Princess Margaret were known to put pesky commoners quite firmly in their place for trying to get too chummy when referring to a royal relative with phrases like 'your mother' or 'your sister' or 'your brother'. Anne would turn around and say "Are you referring to Her Majesty the Queen?" Its got to be a family habit.

I loved it.

I love that habit too but ONLY when it comes from BORN ROYAL. It's more real. When done by, let's say a commoner married to a royal, such as the star of this thread, I find it not amusing.

[Furienna]

Why does it make a difference if she was royal by birth or by marriage? She was royal anyway, right? She was married to the queen's son!

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by ysbel

I don't think you can read that from Sarah's statement.

The girls' legal names are HRH The Princess Beatrice and HRH The Princess Eugenie. Together they would be TRH The Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Is that so? I thought only the children of the souverain are HRH "The" prince/princess Christian name?. AFAIK Beatrice and Eugenie are TRH princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York. And William and Harry are not "The" prince William and "The" prince Henry, but TRH princes William and Henry of Wales. I know there was a letters patent for the then princess Elizabeth that declared her children, who were "just" the souverain's grandchildren, as "The" prince/princess but it was for her only, not for her children.

When Charles becomes king, HRH prince Henry of Wales will become HRH The prince Henry but only then. Or is there a letters patent declaring otherwise?

[Oppie]

Jo is right,

If you are a Prince(ess) of X (Wales, York, Kent) then no "The" If you are the child of the monarch the you become The Prince X

When Charles becomes King they become The Prince William and The Prince Henry (along with any other titles)

I don't think this is Elizabeth letter's of Patents these probably go back to George V

Also TRH is only used for married couples.

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by rchat

I know what you mean Skydragon, I remember watching an episode of David Letterman and he mentioned her daughters by name (asking how they were or something), and instead of Sarah saying there names or "my daughters", she said with emphasis, "The Princesses", as if she was correcting him or reminding him of who they were. It was just the way she said it... at the time it just made me think, "whoa, she likes to emphasize her connection with Royalty". Of course then David made sure to acknowledge their status.

I can see your point about this rchat. Beatrice and Eugenie are princesses as well as being Sarah's daughters and it wasn't necessary to make her host feel stupid by not having addressed them properly. She could've easily said, "My daughters, The Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are doing well, thank you." Or simply "My daughter are doing well, thank you."

When you hear celebrities being interviewed the more humble ones don't insistently add their equally famous boyfriends/husbands, girlfriends/wives, parents or siblings into their interviews. When someone asks Kate Hudson how her mom is, she doesn't say "My mother, Goldie Hawn, is doing well." She just says, "My mom is doing well." Likewise for Catherine Zeta-Jones of her husband Michael Douglas. She simply says "Michael is doing well."

I think that such emphasis occurs (for royals and for celebrities alike) when there is an insecurity in the person that people might not realize who they are related to. In the business world you can see it at meeting when someone repeatedly mentions that they are the CEO or Director of X at a meeting when clearly everyone in the room would know who such individuals are.

I think at heart Sarah is at least a bit insecure and with her daughters growing up and taking to the public stage more on their own, she won't be as prominent in the media as she used to because the "field" of royals is expanding. William and Harry have always been in the public spotlight, but now Beatrice and Eugenie are venturing into the public spotlight into their own, Zara and Peter Phillips are attracting some attention with respect to their love lives, as is Gabriella Windsor, and Frederick attracts attention for his own antics. And Camilla has certainly gotten a lot more media coverage since marrying Charles and now that she is Camilla the Good, and out and about performing royal duties, all these individuals are crowding Sarah off the stage and making her less of a presence in the world. Such a loss of attention could affect her Weight Watchers contract, too, since less media attention on her means that she is less effective as a "celebrity spokesperson."

[Bella]

Originally Posted by ysbel

I don't think you can read that from Sarah's statement.

The girls' legal names are HRH The Princess Beatrice and HRH The Princess Eugenie. Together they would be TRH The Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Princess Anne and Princess Margaret were known to put pesky commoners quite firmly in their place for trying to get too chummy when referring to a royal relative with phrases like 'your mother' or 'your sister' or 'your brother'. Anne would turn around and say "Are you referring to Her Majesty the Queen?" Its got to be a family habit.

I loved it.

Most people in the US - including, David Letterman, I'm sure - don't take royalty and things like titles seriously. Why would we? As I've said many times before, outside of royal watchers, most ppl in the US don't know who half the royals are, nor do they care. I can understand Sarah's comments coming across as pretentious to an American audience. Spending as much time in the US as she does, she needs to be aware of OUR protocol (or lack of it) and that you really don't point out frivilous dated things such as titles or the correct address of two children on national television to a much loved and admired host (who earned his status and was not born nor married into it). That showed a clear lack of class on her part.

[ysbel]

I think you are misunderstanding me. Regardless of whether you think Sarah has a right to correct David Letterman on titles; she married into a family where that was the expected behavior so I don't think you can read the fact that she is insecure out of this incident. I don't think its a coincidence or a sign of insecurity that Margaret and Anne both put a commoner in their place and said the same thing on different occasions. More likely its a sign of a family that was taught to respond like that and while Sarah didn't get the hang of acting royal with decorum, she probably got it drummed into her head enough to not let outsiders get too chummy in talking about her children to respond like that when others are getting chummy about referring to her children.

Sarah is insecure and I personally don't hold that against her; we all have our insecurities and they show up in different ways but I don't think this particular incident is a sign of insecurity.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by ysbel

More likely its a sign of a family that was taught to respond like that and while Sarah didn't get the hang of acting royal with decorum, she probably got it drummed into her head enough to not let outsiders get too chummy in talking about her children to respond like that when others are getting chummy about referring to her children.

I think this is probably the case. She feels obliged to respond that way.

She may not be Royal, but her daughters certainly are, and she's defending their position. Her relationship with the RF is difficult enough without giving them, particularly Philip, the opportunity to criticise her for allowing talk show hosts to become too familiar concerning the Queen's granddaughters.

[Princess BellyFlop]

Well on the video (see her current events thread), she talks quite commonly about her mother on law, our Majesty.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by Princess BellyFlop

Well on the video (see her current events thread), she talks quite commonly about her mother on law, our Majesty.

In the "A Current Affair" interview she certainly does refer to her Majesty (and everyone else she discussed) in very informal terms, but I found it endearing rather than common. She did say rather nice things about the Queen.

Maybe she liked Richard Wilkins but didn't like something about David Letterman's attitude. I can't explain the inconsistency, but I like Sarah and I'm prepared to forgive her a lot.

[RubyPrincess168]

I admire her. She thought she was marrying the man she loved and probably wasn't fully aware of what she was getting into when she married into the RF. She didn't change who she was (and who Andrew fell in love with) once she was married which is probably why she got a hard time for not behaving royal enough. It also must have been tough not being able to live with him on the naval base like she wanted to/like the other navy wifes. I admire the way she has remained best friends with Andrew after their divorce. She's a devoted mother despite working as hard as she does. And she works hard to pay off her debts - something I can sympathize with. She didn't really have anything to occupy her time while she was married and Andrew was away. Now she's keeping busy!

And good point about her behavior at Princess Di's funeral!

[RoseMary]

I just love her. Although she made some mistakes, she actually admitted to it unlike others in the Royal Family. I think she has a lot of balls. Sarah knew she couldn't sulk because she had a debt to pay and she didn't pout.

[rominet09]

I can't stand her that's all
On a very stupid level she should stop wearing short skirts, her legs are awfull