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

[Lumutqueen]

Or married to Henry VIII. She would have been beheaded as Anne Boleyn was.

It may be odd but my gut is telling me that maybe deep down she's enjoying all this attention she's been getting this past week and milking it for all it can be worth.

Oh it is certainly not odd.
I can truely believe that everytime "Sarah Ferguson" is mentioned on the news or in paper, there are pound signs in her eyes.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Her annual amount from Andrew is 30,000 pounds and I know that I couldn't live on that so I mustn't be a reasonable person. At the current rate of exchange that works out at about 2/3s what I earn with 3 degrees and 30 years experience as a teacher. I am comfortable now but I would struggle if I had to survive on 2/3 of what I now earn and that is what you are suggesting for Sarah.

The rest of the figures quoted are rather furphies as much of it is for her daughters or has never been given for one reason or another e.g. the house was never bought. All she really has is 30,000 pounds a year and that is not very much at all, particularly for the ex-wife of the Queen's second son.

Divorce settlement's are also supposed to ensure that the spouses can continue to live an equal life style not one living in luxury and the other in a basic house with the occasional treat.

 

[PetraHel]

Sarah Ferguson is unbelievably cheeky to ask after this scandal more money from her exhusband, whom she divorced 14 years ago! Btw. it was she, who found a lover while married, not Andrew. She is adult and single, so what about to earn money by herself? And she did it, she had contract with Weight Watchers and wrote some books, but it wasn´t still enough for her. She manages badly her money and got used to live beyond her income. Now her popularity is fading, so she tries to milk her exhusband. Even if she would gain more money from Andrew (I hope not), it will never be enough for her.

 

[Idriel]

She pointed out the fact that as Sarah has lived under the same roof as Andrew for much of the period since their divorce she could easily be considered a 'common law' or 'de facto' wife and thus is entitled to a new settlement now based on his current wealth if they decide to cease co-habitating.

Which goes to prove that a good deed never goes unpunished.
Utterly ironic that Andrew could theoretically get fleeced for an act of generosity.

Divorce settlement's are also supposed to ensure that the spouses can continue to live an equal life style not one living in luxury and the other in a basic house with the occasional treat.

And this is the biggest load of nonsense (not saying that you are wrong, just that this principle is outrageous).
Systems like that rewards gold-diggers.

A woman who marries a rich man isn't a rich woman. She's a woman who married a rich man, period.
She should get out of the marriage as privately wealthy (or not) as she went in unless she contributed significantly to the marital income/her husband's career or gave up promising professional prospects to devote herself to her family.

The age of kept women is over!

 

[Iluvbertie]

Statistics indicate that divorced woman are significantly worse off after their divorce than those who stay married particularly later in life or if they have no skills to earn a living, such as Sarah.

 

[PetraHel]

And this is the biggest load of nonsense (not saying that you are wrong, just that this principle is outrageous).
Systems like that rewards gold-diggers.

I agree. I think alimony should be paid just for children, or expartner taking care of young children or expartner who is invalid or ill so much, that s/he isn´t able to work and earn money themselves. I don´t understand the principle of alimony for adult and healthy exwives/husbands. It is quite logical and natural that married couple has common money, but if you are not a married couple anymore, then everyone has to manage by themselves. Let´s take an example of Sarah Ferguson - she was married 10 years and has been receiving money from her exhusband already for 14 years and will receive it probably until the end of her life. Many people simply abuse their exes like a convenient source of income.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Why did she take a lover though? Because her husband was never around, she was pillored from pillar to post by the press and the public and was depressed due to a whole lot of reasons, most of which relate to her husband's absences.

No marriage fails due to the actions of one partner - both are responsible for its failure - just the symptons appear differently - Andrew's absences were due to his naval career but he could have applied for a shore posting to sort out his marriage - he is a much to blame for the failure of the marriage as she is and that is now the view of the courts and legislatures, except where there are obvious signs of abuse.

 

[PetraHel]

Statistics indicate that divorced woman are significantly worse off after their divorce than those who stay married particularly later in life or if they have no skills to earn a living, such as Sarah.

So they should stay married (and not ruin their marriages by entanglements with lover, as Sarah), or come to terms with the fact that if they don´t want to live with their husbands anymore, so they can´t use their money anymore, but have to earn it themselves (or marry again to other rich man).

 

[Iluvbertie]

So a person who is unhappy should stay in those circumstances - and be miserable forever, just so that they can be financially secure.
Fortunately the western world has moved on from that medieval and early modern approach to marriage and realises that a woman contributes to a marriage in many ways other than financially and should be able to maintain her lifestyle after leaving an unhappy marriage. This is the case for ordinary people and should also apply to the rich, which is why many rich wives get settlements in the millions of pounds/dollars etc even when they started with nothing much.

 

[Lumutqueen]

She should not have to stay married to a man who was never around, and in a situation that made her un-happy just because of money.
Okay, maybe Sarah's divorce settlement wasn't that great, but she has earned a fair bit since, she just does not know how to control her money and save it. Someone needs to control it for her.

 

[Idriel]

Statistics indicate that divorced woman are significantly worse off after their divorce than those who stay married particularly later in life or if they have no skills to earn a living, such as Sarah.

So what?
Long is gone the time when women had no access to education and career opportunities.
Andrew isn't responsible for Sarah having no skills. She isn't a minor or somehow incapacitated.
In the 14 years since her divorce she could have pursued an higher education and gained skills, instead of aimlessly jet-setting around.

Fortunately the western world has moved on from that medieval and early modern approach to marriage...

Imo your conceptions are a remnant from pre-feminist advancements for women, and not at all progressive as you seek to present them.

 

[LadyHylton]

Being close friends with Elton John is a very dangerous thing. After all, he is the man who spent half a million a year on flowers.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Being close friends with Elton John is a very dangerous thing. After all, he is the man who spent half a million a year on flowers.

But he can afford it.
He is hardly short of cash, and obviously knows how to save.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

I think Sarah will come to regret her actions if she goes for more money from P Andrew. This will only make her look worse in the eyes of the public. And if she does, and is successful, I will expect that the money will be held in trust for her and be treated like a spendthrift trust, so that Sarah cannot waste it on careless spending and bad investments.

 

[NotAPretender]

Why is Andrew responsible for Sarah having "no skills?" She attended secretarial college and when they met, she'd been a PR person, an art gallery employee, worked at a publishing company, and been kept woman (that racecar driver McNally who didn't want to marry her and encouraged her to accept Diana's invite that was the set-up for Andrew and Sarah re-meeting.) After the divorce, she did quite well for herself. She authored 18 books for criminy's sake - many of which are being rushed back into print! What, her writing hand fell off when she accepted the cash envelope?

And as for her continuing as a "common law" wife of Andrew, I do wonder what the lawyer from Australia would say about Sarah interrupting that common-law-ery to accommodate Geir Frantzen (her boyfriend with whom she frolicked last Xmas in Norway) or Count Gaddo della Gheradesca, with whom she purchased a property in Italy? I will refrain from the obvious joke regarding the commonness of this particular common-law wife...whoops. Andrew hasn't exactly been sleeping alone during these years, either, judging from his many appearances in New York with various attractive young women. "Common law" doesn't mean "free love."

I was reviewing some history over the weekend (I'm writing a biography set in the immediate pre-war years in Europe.) Germany convinced itself and its citizens that they deserved a second bite at the apple, since they were treated so badly in the Treaty of Versailles. So they spent the 1920's in abysmal economic conditions due to hyperinflation and poor economic and monetary policies, and in the 1930's began behaving badly to make up for all they "lost."

Sarah = Germany - unsatisfied with a settlement, unable to manage funds, and now greedily eying that which others have. Andrew = Neville Chamberlain: appease, appease, appease.

The BRF should bail her out because she's just too unstable and God knows what else she is capable of: bail her out and tighten down her hatches, permanently. But NOT because she deserves it, either as recompense for some "agreement" that she willingly signed, nor as a reward for her appalling behaviour.

Sarah has made me consider the absolutely impossible for me: think well of the behaviour of the DoC.

Vasillisos, I agree. The money should be placed in a trust governed by a board of others and with unbreakable convenants regarding its distribution.

Edited to add: Why did Sarah take a lover? Because she wanted to. Andrew didn't force her, the Queen didn't force her, the press - the grey men - no one stripped her naked and threw her under Johnny Bryan or Steve Wyatt.

 

[Lumutqueen]

What a beautiful comparison.
But we do know how appeasement ended.
Compared to Sarah, Camilla is a saint.

 

[Sereta]

If Sarah was unhappy with the divorce settlement she should have said something at the time and demanded more. It looks a bit suspicious to complain about it 20 years later when you happen to be having financial woes.

 

[Lumutqueen]

If Sarah was unhappy with the divorce settlement she should have said something at the time and demanded more. It looks a bit suspicious to complain about it 20 years later when you happen to be having financial woes.

Now her apparent excuse, was because she thought it was better to remain friends with the family rather than ask for more.

 

[udyusa]

Interesting how Sarah Always has an excuse for her actions...

 

[Russophile]

Interesting how Sarah Always has an excuse for her actions...

OMGosh! Copy that!


Bertie you mentioned that Sarah took a lover because she was unhappy. Does that make the situation better? Is that an excuse to blow your wedding vows? Because now you have 3 people in the marriage, and then a 4th when Johnny Bryan came sniffing around after Steve's castoffs.
Sarah has never been truly happy with herself so she wasn't happy in the marriage. She has never really "Found herself" no matter what she says in the interviews she gives or the books she writes ("What I know now" comes to mind). She has never respected herself so I certainly haven't any for her.
Prince Andrew should help her find her way, not give the woman any money and wash his hands of her.

 

[rmay286]

Andrew and Sarah have definitely had other relationships since their divorce, but not in at least two years. As far as I know Angie Everheart was Andrew's last "girlfriend" and Sarah hasn't had a romantic relationship with anyone since Count Gaddo.

I'm thinking the idea that Sarah is going to seek a larger divorce settlement is just a rumour, although nothing would surprise me when it comes to Sarah anymore...
But my feeling is that a wealthy ex-spouse shouldn't have to pay for his ex-wife's upkeep forever and ever. Sarah chose to divorce Andrew, now she needs to learn she can't keep living the lifestyle of a royal either. I also don't see Andrew's long absences as an excuse for Sarah's affairs, but the way Sarah has stayed loyal to Andrew for so long, while the other men have disappeared into history, makes me think that she knows now that Andrew is a good man and the affairs were a mistake.

When I was looking at the NoTW video on YouTube, I found this clip of Sarah speaking at the United Nations. She speaks without notes for part of the time and she's very passionate. The speaker who comes after her is so monotone, that I felt the contrast really highlights what a good public speaker Sarah actually is. I think people who say Sarah doesn't have skills should take note of the fact that she actually is a good public speaker. I think that's why Weight Watchers kept Sarah as their spokesperson for so long. I think the best job for Sarah would be a similar job, where she acts as some sort of spokesperson for the organization. Here's the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL65Bq8UQSc&feature=related

Sarah appears at 5:10. Yes, she talks about herself a fair bit, but she's an excellent storyteller when she brings up the stories of the other women.

 

[Iluvbertie]

No being unhappy is never an excuse to take a lover but taking a lover is a sympton of a marriage gone bad and for that both of them are to blame.
Andrew didn't do anything to help his wife with her unhappiness so she sought love elsewhere. The figures for their actual time together are firghtening - something like less the two years out of the seven they were married (navy personnel the world over have very high divorce rates due to the many and lengthy absences not just Sarah and Andrew).

 

[di-fan72]

Sarah appears at 5:10. Yes, she talks about herself a fair bit, but she's an excellent storyteller when she brings up the stories of the other women.

It is quite unbelievable that hearing and seeing her speak in this video that she did something stupid as the cash for acces thing. I think sarah was during that action not quite herself and was under influence of something.

 

[LadyHylton]

She is brilliant! Why doesn't someone find her something suitable? They have truly wasted a treasure.

 

[Tiggersk8]

Brilliant? Maybe.

Damaged? Beyond a doubt.

It's truly a shame, because Sarah is a gifted public speaker. However, this entire mess is beyond a mess. In one fell swoop look at what she's done to her Daughters and Andrew.

Tuesday's airing of the Oprah interview could be interesting.

Or not if we get the same old same old.

 

[LadyHylton]

Well the latest is that it's all blown over, (according to The Sun) which is a relief & actually what one would expect. No, I'd say she's not damaged, with the Queen & Charles' support, not to mention Andrew's. It's good to be in the fold again, I'd say.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/royals/2993002/Shamed-Fergie-is-backed-by-the-Queen.html

 

[Duchessmary]

Geez, why does she allow herself to be photographed looking so homely?!? This is the time to keep your chin up.

 

[NotAPretender]

I'm not sure that I'd run with what The Sun says. Did this article appear near the naked ones?

And she found herself something quite suitable, millions of dollars worth of suitable. It's her behaviour, not her employment, that is at question.

 

[LadyHylton]

Geez, why does she allow herself to be photographed looking so homely?!? This is the time to keep your chin up.

I agree. Now is the time to look one's very best.

The cream colored trench coat washed her face out. I have the same coloring so I know one has to be careful. Also, one should always wear high heels in airports to create a graceful look. You cannot have the luxury of being comfortable in a time of crisis.

 

[LadyHylton]

I'm not sure that I'd run with what The Sun says. Did this article appear near the naked ones?

I don't think we are blessed with the naked ones online!

A blessing indeed!