Sarah and Eugenie: Documentary on Turkish Orphanages - November 2008

[Skydragon]

Sarah, the Duchess of York took her daughters to Romania and Turkey with an undercover reporting team to investigate the conditions in state-run orphanages, it has been revealed.

Duchess in orphanage TV documentary (From The Northern Echo)
--------------------
A good cause, but why involve her own 'royal' children in a deception? Yet another Sarah programme for our delectation!

 

[Menarue]

Poor Sarah, she is definitely lacking in what Queen Victoria was described as being a a genius of " common sense". All her public life has been overshadowed with her worry about money , she can´t resist a freebie or making some money, mind you to be fair she has to, as she gets so easily into debt with her spending.
I truly believe that she is a nice person, she just lacks good sense and I guess she won´t listen to other people´s advice as she probably thinks that anything that thwarts what she wants as being - stuffy.
If she found this undercover visiting to make a documentary useful or of public interest - good for her, but she should do these things by herself. But then perhaps the added presence of the princesses made the TV people more interested in having her tag along.

 

[jcbcode99]

Truly, a wonderful cause to be involved with--and one which I wholeheartedly applaud! I'm not sure that I agree with the Royal Princesses going with her, but perhaps their presence was able to help raise its awareness. And, perhaps, Granny has been annoyed that the girls only appear to be partying and perhaps she gave her blessing/approval/whatever you want to call it for them to get involved in this type of work. It is certainly better than coming out of clubs at all hours.

 

[muriel]

I fully agree with you. Its a wonderful cause, and despite the irritation of having the girls on the TV show, if this forces them to invove themselves with worthy causes, then so be it!

 

[Bella]

I agree it's a good cause. I also think it's a good idea she brought the girls because it shows them the darker side of life and hopefully will encourage them to become involve with such issues. I'm sure the PR generated by having two royal princesses accompany her didn't go unnoticed, but again it's for a worthy cause.

 

[sesa]

Good for Sarah for exposing her daughters to somthing like this. I do have to disagree with her. she said there are children still in Romania saying help me! Well, there are children all over the world that still need help/saving. But I won't be too harsh on her for her comment. It is true.
I'm wondering if she is exposing the girls to this in a gentel manner so that they can see that life is not all glamour, parties, fashion shows, money, ect. ect.
I'm wondering if she is doing this to make sure that the wool that is about to cover their eyes, does not cover them completely or is pretty thin so they can still see what real life is all about?
Whatever her reasons, I'm glad she took them.

 

[rmay286]

Undercover reporting is sometimes the best way to approach situations where more public coverage would prevent an accurate picture of what's going on, so I don't find Sarah's actions wrongfully "deceptive".

Since people are always saying that Beatrice and Eugenie should do something other than party, I think the trip to Romania and Turkey provides a good rebuttal to that criticism. Of course, I anticipate people will say that Sarah shouldn't have allowed her daughters to be on a TV show at all, but in today's media age, everyone from Joe Average to royalty, (and especially younger people) has more than their fair share of opportunities to get their face on the worlds' TV screens (reality TV, YouTube...). With their status especially, Beatrice and Eugenie are going to get media exposure anyway, so they might as well use it for a good cause. I really think this was a good decision and it was obviously condoned by Buckingham Palace.

 

[Skydragon]

Undercover reporting is sometimes the best way to approach situations where more public coverage would prevent an accurate picture of what's going on, so I don't find Sarah's actions wrongfully "deceptive".

I am not worried about any actions taken by Sarah, she is after all just a private citizen, it is the involvement of her daughters in a deception. If the posters on the Eugenie thread are right and they may be called upon to perform 'royal duties', what a great pity they have just alienated the Turkish and Romania leaders.

it was obviously condoned by Buckingham Palace.

Oh dear!

 

[Menarue]

I really don´t know if the Palace has condoned this, perhaps they have but I don´t think it is obvious. Sarah has always been known to do what she has felt like doing without asking for advice. After all she took her children when they were small on that holiday with her financial adviser and that was definitely frowned on...by the father of the children, the RF and the British public.

 

[ada]

Sarah, the Duchess of York took her daughters to Romania and Turkey with an undercover reporting team to investigate the conditions in state-run orphanages, it has been revealed.

Duchess in orphanage TV documentary (From The Northern Echo)
--------------------
A good cause, but why involve her own 'royal' children in a deception? Yet another Sarah programme for our delectation!

If D of Y is making any money personally from this then PG and PE shouldn't have been there. This is publicity for a good cause, but was it done through BP?

 

[rmay286]

Here is an article about Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie's visit to Turkey. Warning: it's not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Fergie undercover: The Duchess of York bluffs her way into orphanages in Turkey | Mail Online

 

[sirhon11234]

I didn't even think places like that existed...

 

[jcbcode99]

Here is an article about Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie's visit to Turkey. Warning: it's not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Fergie undercover: The Duchess of York bluffs her way into orphanages in Turkey | Mail Online

Bravo for Sarah. Reading this was completely disturbing to me, although I know that this mistreatment does indeed exist. I do believe that having someone high profile like Sarah will help to bring an awareness to the plight and injustices these special needs children and adults suffer. I also have newfound respect for Eugenie for taking up this cause with her mother. It is so tragic to hear of what occurs in other countries. Regardless of what Sarah wears, who Sarah dates, I have always believed that she had a heart for children. I am glad to see that she has taken this worthy cause up.

 

[ada]

I didn't even think places like that existed...

D of Y is using her public profile for a good cause here. I'm amazed that she got access to make this documentary

 

[iceflower]

I didn't even think places like that existed...

Unfortunately they do, as well as in many more countries all over the world..

Documentaries about these miserable conditions are mostly not aired at
prime time and so they do not cause much sensation (at least this is
my experience here in Germany) so I hope the fact that Sarah and the
girls participated helps to turn the spotlight on the problems...- and not
on Sarah and the girls themselves of course..

 

[Bella]

Thank you rmay286 for posting this, as disturbing as it was to read and see. I too didn't realize places like this still existed in this day and age. I understand the funding issues but this is really way way beyond acceptable treatment. I also commend Sarah for taking the risks to expose this sort of thing. Hopefully now something will be done.

 

[rmay286]

I knew these kinds of places existed, but they're not often on the news media's radar. As far as I'm concerned if the program with Sarah raises awareness of the conditions in these orphanages, it's a good thing. Even if people watch because of the celebrity factor of Sarah/the Princesses, they can't help learn something from it as well.

It was probably an eye-opening experience for Beatrice and Eugenie, too.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Anyone who isn't disturbed by reading something like this isn't fully human. My emotions are torn between sadness for those intitutionalized children and rage at the moral blindness that allows these conditions to fester in a country which is trying to appear to be a westernized democracy. How do the country's officials try to excuse something like this?? Surely there are taxes collected in Turkey that could help to address a problem like this!! Perhaps the government minister in charge of social services should spend a night in one of these places.

Kudos to Sarah. The lady has immense physical courage as well as compassion.

Here is an article about Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie's visit to Turkey. Warning: it's not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Fergie undercover: The Duchess of York bluffs her way into orphanages in Turkey | Mail Online

 

[Russophile]

Here is an article about Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie's visit to Turkey. Warning: it's not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Fergie undercover: The Duchess of York bluffs her way into orphanages in Turkey | Mail Online

Sarah has done this before. It was in her book "My Story" where she went off the beaten path in Romania to an orphanage where there were similar conditions. Unfortunately, it looks like these places still exist and nothing is being done to fix the problems.

 

[sneeuwklokje]

Well, a big "bravo" for Sarah!! Not only for visiting those God awfull places, but for dragging her daughters out of the clubs and into real life.

 

[Skydragon]

The Duchess was accompanied by her daughter Princess Eugenie, 18, and an undercover reporting team as they visited Turkey to investigate the conditions in state-run institutions for abandoned children

Nimet Cubukcu, the Turkish minister responsible for women and family, claimed the programme was deliberately scheduled to coincide with the release of a report on Turkey’s bid for European Union membership.
She said: “It is obvious that in this incidence that she is trying to leave Turkey in the midst of a smudge campaign.

Duchess of York deliberately smeared us, says Turkish government - Telegraph

 

[kimebear]

Sooo it's only okay to reveal these horrors when their membership is not up for discussion? I don't care what the timing was. This article turned my stomach and I'm glad Sarah took the time to make the trip public, whatever the reason.

 

[Menarue]

I wonder what will actually happen after this visit. It will definitely change Eugenie´s view of life from now on.
My great-great-grandfather took his young daughter to the inauguration of a new slaughter-house (why??????) and it had one repercussion at least, from the age of 16 onwards my great-grandmother never ate meat again. Besides that I don´t think anything happened at all. Perhaps there will be some action. It may be really just to exclude Turkey as the Turks suspect.... It was brave of Sarah to go, but I really don´t know why she exposed her young daughter to this.

 

[Russophile]

Maybe because life is ugly for some people and to appreciate what she has?

 

[Menarue]

I suppose so, but it can´t have been a good experience for her, perhaps she will want to help somehow.

 

[rmay286]

As someone who follows current events closely, it doesn't matter to me whether the goings-on in the orphanages were exposed by Sarah, the journalist, or someone else--I'm just glad they were brought to light. The Turkish goverment is whining that Sarah and/or Britain deliberately made them look bad? Well, Turkey has only itself to blame. No one appears to be distorting the truth about the conditions in the orphanages. The program appears to be doing what good journalism is supposed to do--exposing the truth. Turkey isn't the only country that has rights. The world and Europe in particular has a right to see this side of Turkey when considering Turkey as a potential member of the EU.

 

[Russophile]

It's been my experience that the ones that bellyache the loudest are usually the most guilty!

 

[jcbcode99]

Sooo it's only okay to reveal these horrors when their membership is not up for discussion? I don't care what the timing was. This article turned my stomach and I'm glad Sarah took the time to make the trip public, whatever the reason.

Well said--I am in complete agreement.

 

[Menarue]

I find I agree with all of you, but isn´t this the job of investigative journalists or others in a position to do so, why the Duchess of York and her young daughter? Are they really that high profile that they will actually make a difference?
If (a very big if) it makes a difference to those poor sufferers then good, but if not it seems a bit cruel to use them as a means of getting attention for themselves and get in photo ops. I still think that if the Duchess (and I do think she is kind hearted and well meaning besides what I said) she shuld have gone alone.

 

[Charlotte1]

The actual program and investigation was done by journalist Chris Rogers from ITV, Sarah and her daughters went along to lift the profile of the program. They are high profile enough for 2 TV documentaries to be broadcast over 2 nights. Chris Rogers had previously done a documentary on orphanages and institutions for the disabled in Romania, and the outrage that followed that helped bring about change in the way Romania cares for its disabled.
This documentary and the conditions of the children shown has got far more attention that had it just been the journalist on his own. Newspapers have covered the story, it's a far more high profile story than if Sarah and the princesses hadn't been involved. As far as going alone, maybe her daughters have a higher sense of wanting to see exactly what the conditions were like. They should be given credit for being out there and seeing it first hand, there's nothing like first hand experience, the sights, the smells to give a person a strong sense of wanting to bring about change. Constrast the criticism of Sarah taking her daughters there ( although being adults, they simply could have taken themselves) and Diana being lauded for taking William and Harry to homeless shelters.