Sarah, Duchess of York Current Events 14: February-October 2009

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by Menarue

I still don´t see why you have to put the name of Lady Helen on this thread. She is a very beautiful young lady and I am not all surprised that Armani would like her to publicize their lines.

It is fairly obvious that Warren cited Helen Taylor as an example of someone connected to the RF who engages in a similar mode of PR for money that Sarah has. The difference is that Helen is not villified, and hence the double standard.

I have no idea how you know so much about Sarah´s private financial affairs but I will take your word for it. I do know she was heavily in debt and had to pay back her creditors and I am glad that you have told me that she has managed to.

Google is a powerful tool if you are interested in acquiring any information regarding Sarah that is not just defamatory.

As I said before this is getting a very insipid thread, it is obvious you have great admiration for Sarah, I haven´t, so why not leave it at that, and leave Lady Helen out of it.

You don't have to have great admiration for someone to have the ability to comment on their activities without shooting daggers. If you find the thread insipid, you could always restrain yourself from visiting it. If refusing to further allow a person to become virtual target practice without any show of restraint, or indeed any sort of actual proof, makes a thread insipid in your opinion, then that speaks more about you.

Originally Posted by Bella

So I guess that's Item D? If anyone is referring to MY question as bashing, please clarify. I wasn't accusing or assuming, hence the Question. I think people are getting a bit paranoid around here and it's ridiculous. Celebs get PAID to attend events. Sarah is a Celeb. People also attend out of respect/friendship for people involved in the event, which is why I asked about her being friends w different hosts/hostesses and guests-of-honor. Celebs also go to events to be photographed. There's nothing Basing about that, it's a fact. So Move On from assuming that EVERY comment about Sarah is bashing her. Maybe it's time to move on myself and GO elsewhere and leave all those who worship Saint Sarah to themselves. How Stupid of me to think I could actually post a Normal and Legitimate question about Sarah on Sarah A thread! Ciao!

I think we would have an easier time believing in the sincerity of this statement if part of the question had not been worded

"b) she's been invited and would attend the opening of an envelope if it'll keep her name and pic in the papers?"

There are many other less derrogatory ways of posing this if the question is sincere and not just another attempt to incite. It is not paranoia to see, once again, the start of thread going downhill with all the detractors jumping on the bandwagon and then attempting to mask their words with feigned innocence.

[murphy's mom]

All I was doing, Warren, was expressing my opinion. I'm sorry if it doesn't meet your standards of what is acceptable in this forum. I don't think what I said was catty or bashing, and I don't think I was "parroting". If you and others think so, I'm more than happy to stop posting my opinions, as well as stop visiting this thread. I think what you and some of the other moderators are suggesting is close to censorship, and that's sad. Goodbye!

[udyusa]

I feel sad to see all of these wonderful posters leaving. Perhaps the Main mods of this board/thread could find it in their heart of hearts to say something nice or at the very least, something positive to these posters? They are much too special to lose, imho.

[rmay286]

I don't have a problem with people disliking Sarah, because sometimes you just don't like someone. What bothers me is the way people read motivations into Sarah's actions when there is no basis for these interpretations except people's pre-conceived notions of her. Of course she makes money for public appearances, her speeches and her promotion of products, and of course she gets attention for these activities. But there is absolutely no reason (unless people here are mind-readers!) to assume that money/attention are the only or main motivations for her actions. There's also no actual evidence to assume that her continued closeness to Andrew comes mainly from a desire to ingratiate herself with the royal family. And come to think of it, do we even have any evidence that she, not the media, is the one who constantly emphasizes her royal connections? But all these are claims made time and time again and it's kind of tiring. It's obvious a lot of people don't have a high opinion of Sarah, but the comments about her activities get so unnecessarily repetitive.

Also, ITA that the past does not constantly need to be re-hashed. I have mentioned not being impressed with Charles and Camilla's past behaviour, but I actually feel the same about Sarah's, and I don't think there is anything wrong with being critical of someone's past actions--but that being said, the past is the past! In my own defense, when people start making claims that what Charles and Camilla did in the past really wasn't so bad, I will come in and counter-argue that in fact, I believe they did make some seriously wrong choices. I have no problem with people doing the same in response to anyone who suggests that Sarah's past actions weren't a big deal. But in this thread, everything Sarah does in the present still somehow gets linked back to her past choices. Again, it's really tiring.

For example, Bella, I don't mind most of your posts, but when you write, "she would attend the opening of an envelope if it'll keep her name and pic in the papers?" it sounds so accusatory. I think the question could easily be rephrased to sound a lot milder: for example, "She attends these events because she needs publicity to maintain her lifestyle." That sounds more reasonable than the hyperbole in the first one (saying Sarah would attend the opening of an envelope makes her sound, in addition to grasping, just plain dumb...which is derogatory.)

[Emeralds and Opals]

Duchess of York: comparisons with Diana led me to binge eat - Telegraph

[Odette]

Once the Duchess wrote that Diana gave her warts when she lent her her shoes. Now she blames her for her weight problems?? If I remember correctly she was, let us say, pleasantly plump when she got engaged to Prince Andrew.
It is unfortunately that after all these years she can still blame others for some of her problems.

[udyusa]

Interesting that Sarah seemingly always has an excuse. The sad part is that she still hasn't learned a thing. Worse is that her daughters are now taking after her...

[Elspeth]

Apparently she isn't the only person who hasn't learned a thing.

Have you people really not been registering (a) the requests of the forum moderators to stop being so constantly contemptuous of Sarah and (b) the posts from other members who want to discuss Sarah's current events but have been driven away by the constant refrain of "Sarah is soooo terrible, she's always been terrible, after all look at the toe-sucking episode, her charities are just excuses and she doesn't really care about the children, they're just props for photo-ops, after all look at the toe-sucking episode, she's a publicity hound and she's a bad mother, after all look at the toe-sucking episode, she looks like a floozy har har isn't she just awful, well what do you expect from someone who got her toes sucked, she has no dress sense and she looks dreadful I mean just dreadful how can she possibly go out in public looking like that har har, but then she did get her toes sucked, why doesn't she just drop dead because she's such a well you know it rhymes with witch, wink wink har har, well she did get her toes sucked you know."

Several people have already said that this stuff is no better than playground bullying, and Warren warned at the end of the last thread and the beginning of this thread that the discussion was to focus on Sarah's current events and not be used as an excuse for yet more bashing. We're two pages into the thread and we're right back to where we were before Mandy and I intervened last time.

Don't you people really have anything better to do? You know, like actually conducting a sensible discussion about Sarah's actual current events?

Elspeth (disgusted private citizen)

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by Odette

Once the Duchess wrote that Diana gave her warts when she lent her her shoes. Now she blames her for her weight problems?? If I remember correctly she was, let us say, pleasantly plump when she got engaged to Prince Andrew.
It is unfortunately that after all these years she can still blame others for some of her problems.

I'm not sure where in the article Sarah is blaming Diana for her weight problems. She did say that the unfavorable comparisons made in the press upset her so that she binge ate. At worst, the only thing she says about Diana is that she perhaps was not sympathetic to her situation. Where do you see otherwise?

[Charlotte1]

Originally Posted by Menarue

I still don´t see why you have to put the name of Lady Helen on this thread. She is a very beautiful young lady and I am not all surprised that Armani would like her to publicize their lines.
I have no idea how you know so much about Sarah´s private financial affairs but I will take your word for it. I do know she was heavily in debt and had to pay back her creditors and I am glad that you have told me that she has managed to.
As I said before this is getting a very insipid thread, it is obvious you have great admiration for Sarah, I haven´t, so why not leave it at that, and leave Lady Helen out of it.

The information about Sarah's finances has been in the public domain for years, especially the fact that she repaid all her debts in 2 and a half years. In the past year there have been articles about Sarah's work as a corporate speaker, including what she is being paid. ( As kimebear said Google is your friend!)

As far as the 'great admiration', don't be so patronising. I don't happen to be a 14 year old fan, I follow royals and have done so for many years. I dislike tremendously ill-informed unfair comments on any royal (or periferal royal such as Sarah.) And I particularly dislike when false information gets transmitted as fact.

The mention of Lady Helen Taylor is a very good example of the hypocrisy that follows the criticism of Sarah. Namely she wants fame, she just does appearances to get noticed, she uses her royal connections to make money, she speaks to the press. Sarah and Helen are the 2 'royals' that the press have the most access to, both give interviews, Helen was chosen to publicise first Calvin Klein, then Bulgari and now Armani thanks to her royal connections. To think otherwise is very naive, there are many attractive Lady so and sos around. Both have made money from their royal connections. Both attend openings of various galleries, fashion shows, Helen models.

[Mermaid1962]

Could the difference be that Lady Helen is reserved about discussing her personal life, has no weight problem, is beautiful, and carries herself well? She's was also born into the Windsor dynasty, and her parents are HRHs. Her marriage appears to be solid, and her husband has had a brush with cancer. The latter fact could have earned her additional sympathy. I agree however that there's hypocrisy where these two women are concerned. I remember when Lady Helen was considered "wild"...she sunbathed topless and was reputed to not get along with her mother (horrors! a teenage girl not getting along with her mother!). Lady Helen seems to have ridden that storm, though, and is now respected.

Originally Posted by Charlotte1

The mention of Lady Helen Taylor is a very good example of the hypocrisy that follows the criticism of Sarah. Namely she wants fame, she just does appearances to get noticed, she uses her royal connections to make money, she speaks to the press. Sarah and Helen are the 2 'royals' that the press have the most access to, both give interviews, Helen was chosen to publicise first Calvin Klein, then Bulgari and now Armani thanks to her royal connections. To think otherwise is very naive, there are many attractive Lady so and sos around. Both have made money from their royal connections. Both attend openings of various galleries, fashion shows, Helen models.

[Skydragon]

"she would attend the opening of an envelope if it'll keep her name and pic in the papers?"

It must be my sense of humour, because that is how I read this - as humour!
The difference between Helen and Sarah, is indeed that Helen does not talk about her connections, but she is also a very minor royal and has never been in the limelight in the same way as Sarah, an ex royal, has chosen to be.

Originally Posted by udyusa

I feel sad to see all of these wonderful posters leaving. They are much too special to lose, imho.

I have to agree, if all the interesting posters feel forced to leave, TRF's will become just another 'fan' site.
----------------------
Regrets? Sarah, Duchess of York has more than a few – not least failing to 'weather’ her marriage. In a remarkably candid interview, she tells Lucy Cavendish about her new film, her 'diabolical’ love life and why she wishes she could rewind 20 years and have another go

Sarah, Duchess of York exclusive: 'The only thing I ever succeeded at was failure' - Telegraph

[Charlotte1]

The Telegraph article has a link to Sarah's charity Children in Crisis. It's an interesting site to see what projects they have running and support, surprising too how many countries they work in.

http://childrenincrisis.org/

[Odette]

Originally Posted by kimebear

I'm not sure where in the article Sarah is blaming Diana for her weight problems. She did say that the unfavorable comparisons made in the press upset her so that she binge ate. At worst, the only thing she says about Diana is that she perhaps was not sympathetic to her situation. Where do you see otherwise?

I read the headline. It said that comparisons to Diana made her binge. Diana was not sympathetic to her situation. Diana is long dead and buried. Sarah currently remembers what happened to her and why she binged and brings Diana into the mix. Personally I do not believe this would be a nice thing for any one of us to say. Perhaps I should have added the media as well since they were the ones who made the comparisons and made her overeat. My point was that Sarah should own up to her past mistakes and either not talk about them or stop blaming others for them.

[Al_bina]

'I was so unhappy': How comparisons with Princess Diana led the Duchess of York to binge eat | Mail Online
I find this interview awkward. Sarah, Duchess of York, has "milked" her unhappy life in the British Royal family enough to pay off her debts and become self-sufficient. I wish she were more discreet for the sake of her daughters and concentrate on her charities.

[Emeralds and Opals]

Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson to strip down to a bikini at Bondi | Celebrity | News.com.au

[Odette]

Originally Posted by Emeralds and Opals

Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson to strip down to a bikini at Bondi | Celebrity | News.com.au

Will it ever end or even slow down?? It seems like there is an interview each week about one thing or the other.

[Mermaid1962]

Personally, I think that other women could find this encouraging. I don't ever plan to run along a beach in a bikini; but I can certainly identify with this quote:

"In other words they have to take things slowly and say 'right, I'm not doing this because I have to get into a pair of blue jeans, I need to do this because if I don't I'm going to die of heart disease'."

I have 2.5 years before I'm 50, and I'd love to be a healthy body-weight by then.

Originally Posted by Odette

Will it ever end or even slow down?? It seems like there is an interview each week about one thing or the other.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Emeralds and Opals

Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson to strip down to a bikini at Bondi | Celebrity | News.com.au

It doesn't matter how slim or gorgeous she or others might see her to be, I find it very distasteful for the mother of the two princesses (as she likes to remind us) to be selling herself in this way!

Originally Posted by Mermaid1962

"In other words they have to take things slowly and say 'right, I'm not doing this because I have to get into a pair of blue jeans, I need to do this because if I don't I'm going to die of heart disease'."

I find the exercise regimes sold to women to prevent heart disease, to be a myth. I have lost a few good friends to heart disease, none smoked, all exercised on a regular basis, all were slim, some never ate meat and one was only 23. The thing that can help prevent premature death from heart disease is regular checks and a good doctor, not the myth of exercise and a good diet!

[rmay286]

I'm 23...

That's kind of scary.

Exercise and a good diet do reduce rates of heart disease, but some of it is genetic. Anyway, it's definitely healthier to be slim and in shape, than the reverse.

If nothing else, Sarah is brave for vowing to run down the beach in a bikini at the age of 50.