Sarah, Duchess of York Current Events 7: December 2006-February 2007

[Skydragon]

Picture: Prince Andrew and Sarah

They both look terrible in this photo.

 

[selrahc4]

Sarah had arrived alone for their meeting, but the Duke of York, 46, offered her a lift home when they left the Mayfair hotel just past midnight.

Where did he drop her off?

 

[ysbel]

They both look terrible in this photo.

Andrew certainly does. Yuck! He's too nice looking to have a bad hair day.

 

[Avalon]

Where did he drop her off?

I have no idea, to tell the truth, The article doesn't state that.
I would assume Andrew drop her to hotel, if she's staying there. And since they've arrived separately, it might be possible.

 

[Duchess]

did someone (or it could've been her in an interview) say she stays with him at the house when she's in london.

 

[Avalon]

did someone (or it could've been her in an interview) say she stays with him at the house when she's in london.

She did. You can find the article, posted by Roslyn in this post.

 

[Sereta]

Yes, remaining on good terms with one's ex is regarded by some of our members as "dysfunctional" and setting a bad example for the children. An acrimonious splitup is apparently the preferred and better option for all concerned.

Nobody has stated this.
__________________

It is quite possible that Andrew and Sarah have a platonic relationship now. Whether they do or not, though, is their private business, and I for one don't feel I have to be a keeper of their morals.

As long as Sarah keeps blabbing her private life to the media and thus making it very "public" then it's only natural that people are going to respond and discuss it.

I believe that he vetoed Sarah living with Andrew in a naval married quarter when they were first married. (Why? Who knows - when Philip was first married to Pss Elizabeth she lived with him in ?Malta as a naval wife.) This left Sarah lonely and isolated for much of the time, with no 'support network' round here, which would have been available in a naval setting. She is not the first young wife to get bored and do silly things - but others are not in the unforgiving media spotlight.

I don't see why Philip or anyone else would care whether Sarah stayed with Andrew or at Buck house. I think it's more likely Sarah that didn't want to stay on base and give up the social life in London (and of course all the toe sucking ). Why do the royal family always get accused of interfering in Sarah & Andrew's married life? It's been well documented that the Queen and Phillip made a point of staying out of their children's marital situations. Even when Chas & Diana were having their problems they allowed them to try to work things out their own way (even their affairs). It wasn't until Chas & Diana made it clear they wanted out of their marriage and things got out of control (publicly) that the Queen "allowed" them to divorce. So why should it have been any different for Andrew?
Nothing like using the Royal Family as a scapegoat!

Fourthly, Sarah has worked hard and paid off her debts. She is involved with a children's charity, and works for Weight Watchers in the US. Some people are sour about her - but I think she deserves the success she has, and also deserves to have Andrew still care about her.

It's amusing whenever anything controversial is brought up about Sarah her debts are always brought to the forefront. Yes she has paid off her debts. But they were her debts from her living a very extravagant, self-indulgent lifestyle and it's only right that she pay them off which btw her ex husband helped a lot by generously allowing her to live under his roof, maybe at the personal cost of his own social (dating) life.
Paying off her own debts doesn't make her a hero, it doesn't make her a saint and it doesn't make her any less tacky than she is.

 

[selrahc4]

did someone (or it could've been her in an interview) say she stays with him at the house when she's in london.

What house is that? I thought he stayed at the palace when in London. Surely he wouldn't take her there, would he?

 

[corazon]

What house is that? I thought he stayed at the palace when in London. Surely he wouldn't take her there, would he?

Sunninghill Park, i think

 

[selrahc4]

Sunninghill Park, i think

Yes, but that's not in London.

 

[Bella]

Sunninghill Park, i think

I thought he sold Sunninghill Park and was living at Royal Lodge or something. I believe it was one of the late Queen Mother's residences. I recall reading that he was spending alot of money renovating it.

 

[selrahc4]

I thought he sold Sunninghill Park and was living at Royal Lodge or something. I believe it was one of the late Queen Mother's residences. I recall reading that he was spending alot of money renovating it.

Still, that doesn't answer where he stays when in London. Neither of them are in London.r

 

[Skydragon]

Still, that doesn't answer where he stays when in London. Neither of them are in London.r

He lives at Royal Lodge, Windsor which is only 20-30 minutes from central London.

 

[Elspeth]

I don't see why Philip or anyone else would care whether Sarah stayed with Andrew or at Buck house. I think it's more likely Sarah that didn't want to stay on base and give up the social life in London (and of course all the toe sucking ).

I'm not sure what the toe sucking has to do with her early married life, but whatever. As to the other, she said in her autobiography that she'd wanted to go and live on base with Andrew and was told she couldn't. I assume that's where this information is coming from.

 

[Skydragon]

As to the other, she said in her autobiography that she'd wanted to go and live on base with Andrew and was told she couldn't. I assume that's where this information is coming from.

Mmmm, was she told she couldn't by senior naval officers, possibly worried about security on the base, did she say?

Has anyone seen the 3 bedroomed semi detached Andrew would have been eligible for at the time? Where would his or her protection officers have stayed.

 

[Elspeth]

I don't have a copy of the book still, but I think she said she was told by someone at the Palace. I suspect it wasn't the Queen herself who told her, but I also suspect the Palace officials wouldn't be doing this off their own bat without checking what the Queen's opinions were.

 

[selrahc4]

He lives at Royal Lodge, Windsor which is only 20-30 minutes from central London.

I truly am not being stupid here, just trying to get things clear: so, then, when Sarah said she lives with Andrew when she is in London
( http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007000607,00.html )
it is really Royal Lodge at Windsor where they are staying?

 

[Skydragon]

I truly am not being stupid here, just trying to get things clear: so, then, when Sarah said she lives with Andrew when she is in London
( http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007000607,00.html )
it is really Royal Lodge at Windsor where they are staying?

You are not being stupid. Yes she stays at Royal Lodge with Andrew.

It is just outside central London and an easy commute.

 

[selrahc4]

You are not being stupid. Yes she stay at Royal Lodge with Andrew.

It is just outside central London and an easy commute.

Does Andrew commute between Windsor and London then whenever he has engagements in London? Does he never stay in London?

 

[Skydragon]

I don't have a copy of the book still, but I think she said she was told by someone at the Palace. I suspect it wasn't the Queen herself who told her, but I also suspect the Palace officials wouldn't be doing this off their own bat without checking what the Queen's opinions were.

With the NI troubles and the death of his uncle by an IRA bomb in '79, security for Andrew and Sarah would have been uppermost in everyones mind I should think.

It is rather difficult to guard someone in a semi on a housing estate, very few officers, senior or junior have houses within the base. The camps really are just like large housing estates. Security would have been a nightmare, where would the protection men have slept, (there were very few women officers). It used to be hard enough for personel to get accomodation, with some on waiting lists and others taking out hirings.
Andrew would have been in officer quarters within the barracks, hardly suitable for a wife.

Perhaps someone who has the book can quote what she did say.

 

[Skydragon]

Does Andrew commute between Windsor and London then whenever he has engagements in London? Does he never stay in London?

It is such a short distance, I can't really see him having a London flat as well. He is probably stays at BP, if it is really necessary.

 

[Zonk]

Okay...I have the book! I know you are totally surprised Skydragon. But I am going to go on record and say I have never read it. Its an easy birthday/Christmas present for my friends and family. Anything that has to do with British Royalty.

In the book..Sarah never indicates that she was supposed to live on the base. She just mentions that he was on base during the week and came on during the weekends. She fully understood the obligations prior to the marriage but "while I knew Andrew would be leaving, I had never really thought it through---it was abstract and dreary."

She indicated that it worse for her than most Navy widows...as the weekends were used for engagements and they never really had quality alone time. Basically,the entire time they were married he was home an average of 42 days a year.

 

[Duchess]

i can sympathize with sarah to a degree. my husband works offshore but is home more often than that and i can say it get's lonely. to have andrew gone for such long periods must've been really hard for her.

 

[ysbel]

Sarah did say in an interview that Prince Philip told her and Andrew that she couldn't live with him on the base because of security and that neither she nor Andrew pushed the matter. The funny thing is that Philip and Elizabeth lived on base together right after WWI and and the beginning of the Cold War so I don't know if the situation back then was any better.

Andrew was interviewed and asked about what she said, he didn't confirm what she said but he said they both later regretted his long absences away from home.

 

[Zonk]

Okay..I have just scanned a little further in the book.

By early 1987, Sarah indicates that she told the Queen and Prince Phillip that she couldn't handle the separations and requested to live on the base. Due to security...this request was denied. She indicated that it was difficult not seeing him and Prince Phillip said...welll..the Mountbattens (I am assume he was referring to him and the Queen) managed and so will you. The subject was closed.

She also makes references that she should have persisted or asked Andrew to leave the Navy. Acknowledging that there were other royal roles he could have done or just have been mad at her for suggesting it.

She also makes refrences to her insecurity (tons of it..it appears) and that by 1989 they were not communicating well. She states...how could he know how she felt if she never told him..how could she explain it if she didn't understand it herself..which is quite sad in my opinion.

I know there are a lot of people who think Sarah brought alot of her problems on herself...and they are right. I still like her though!

 

[iceflower]

Here are two extremely small but nice pics of Sarah last week on January 12, 2007: She was leaving the NBC studios in New York City after her appearance on "The Today Show".

Sarah 1
Sarah 2

 

[Skydragon]

By early 1987, Sarah indicates that she told the Queen and Prince Phillip that she couldn't handle the separations and requested to live on the base. Due to security...this request was denied. She indicated that it was difficult not seeing him and Prince Phillip said...welll..the Mountbattens (I am assume he was referring to him and the Queen) managed and so will you. The subject was closed.

Thanks for reading the book to tell us! It is a problem that many military wives have to face and although most spouses won't have had the commitments that Andrew had while on leave, even for them, it can be frustrating to have to share hubby/wife with other people when they are home.

Yes when they are away, it is terrible, (even during peacetime absences), this for Sarah could have been compounded by her insecurities with her new family. She did see him most weekends, which really is a luxury for some wives, (military or not), my attitude has always been to make the most of the time you do get together and 5 days out of the 7 seems so wonderful, that I am surprised she had any problem with it.

I can't say I dislike Sarah, (when I think about it), I just hate the way she has always acted and continues to act. I do wish the pair of them would remain the best of friends, but living separate lives. I don't like people that 'blab' their every intimate thought or deed to anyone who will listen, or who has the misfortune to be in the same room. If she wants to be known as a Duchess, then she could at least try to act like one.

I think the US is probably the best place for her.

 

[Bella]

Here are two extremely small but nice pics of Sarah last week on January 12, 2007: She was leaving the NBC studios in New York City after her appearance on "The Today Show".

Sarah 1
Sarah 2

Thanks, Iceflower. I think they're flattering pictures of Sarah. Doesn't look like she's wearing too much make-up, which is always a good thing. Her jacket reminds me of a long coat I used to have when I was a child.

 

[Duchess]

i agree with skydragon. sarah's lack of discretion is her worst "asset" for lack of a better word. it has landed in trouble in the past and my guess is that it will do so again. i like sarah but she really needs to teach herself to tone it down a bit when it comes to discussing her personal life.

 

[Zonk]

I totally agree that Sarah's discretion is one of her greatest weakness.

I was aware that Sarah had deep insecurity issues...but until reading (or rather scanning her book) I didn't realize how deep they were. She's says this in the begnning of her book....Even at my dizzy height of popularity, I knew that the clock would strike twelve and I'd be seen for what I was: unworthy, unattractive and unaccomplished.

IMO this lack of confidence has caused her to act without thinking. And speaking without thinking of the consequences. Constantly seeking approval.