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

[Vasillisos Markos]

But did Sarah ever worry about looking her best? Perhaps this neglect to even attempt to improve her appearance shows the depths of her (deserved) depression and the scandal she has created.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Sarah is a fine, passionate speaker. But I think that she'd be taken even more seriously if she didn't bring her her ex-husband into the conversation as though she's still married to him. It's when she talks about herself that she sounds "loopy"; so I think that she needs to stay on the topic at hand and resist the urge to bring herself into the conversation.

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.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Wives are not kept women and for anyone to suggest that they are is degrading to wives...and to husbands, for that matter. A kept woman doesn't have to make vows; she simply receives a living in exchange for serving a man. A married couple are considered a spiritual, physical, and financial unit. When a couple marries, they share "all their worldly goods" or however the vow states it depending on the marriage ceremony. He shares her money, she shares his. That's why people have started pre-nuptual agreements--because it's normally understood that a man and woman pool their wealth in order to maintain the family.

 

[Mermaid1962]

He was working as a naval instructor for a few years during their marriage, although I can't remember the exact dates. I believe that was the period during which he'd come home on the weekends and want to "veg" watching videos, which she didn't like. She gave an interview saying that they'd come home on Friday, they'd have a fight on Saturday, and he'd leave on Sunday.

- 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.

 

[Iluvbertie]

He didn't serve as an instructor at any time according to the Wikipedia breakdown of his service. Prince Andrew, Duke of York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
At the start of his marriage he was serving on HMS Brazen and did the Lieutenant's Greenwich Staff Course. From October 1986 he was doing his helicopter pilot's training course and after that he served at HMAS Portland and while on that duty he also served in the Far East. He would have had time at home on this duty as it is a shore posting but he would also have been on call. From 1989 to 91 he served aboard HMS Campbelltown. He then did more training to rise through the ranks.

He obviously had some time at home to father two children but in 7 years of marriage it wasn't all that long (Sarah gave the figures which said that they spent less than two years under the same roof in 7 years of marriage and that would fit with him being home on weekends for some of it but not from being the instructor but more from being the instructed.

 

[agogo]

What's the point of even going after her? She has no power, she's not married to Andrew. It looks like people wanted someone to write about and found an easy target.

I agree, as if there is not enough going on in this world for newspapers to report about. Whatever happened to journalism standards? Sarah is the ex of a British prince. Not exactly a newsworthy person these days, not until a stunning entrapment scheme was devised. 50/50 blame divided equally between Sarah and the "reporter". In order for his scheme to work, the “reporter” needed a gullible victim. He skillfully set Sarah up and she fell for it. Sophie Countess of Wessex had a similar experience with a fake Arab prince with a fake PR job. All done to embarrass her. She had been “exposed” already by the “media” so she would not have fallen for this joke again. Who else in the British royal family would play this part? Princess Michael of Kent? No she is too cagey and media savvy. Sadly Sarah fit the bill.

Also, some one correct me on this point, did Sarah not receive a divorce settlement or any alimony? Perhaps if she had received a reasonable alimony settlement she would not have had to earn her living by publicly marketing herself. Just a thought.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
In criminal law, entrapment is when a law enforcement agent induces a person to commit an offense which the person would otherwise have been unlikely to commit. In many jurisdictions, entrapment is a possible defense against criminal liability


I realize that the reporter was not a law enforcement agent, but never the less, I feel as if this was an entrapment crime that targeted a weak and willing person.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Actually Princess Michael of Kent also fell for this routine by the same paper in 2005. In addition all three of them - Sophie, Micheal of Kent and Fergie were all caught by the same 'fake sheikh' Not once but three times this guy has set up and caught out woman associated with the BRF.

Fergie's Latest Flameout - Yahoo! News

Now we can all watch her on YouTube, gasping with pleasure as the News of the World’s Borat—the very same "fake sheik" who had already stung [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]Prince [COLOR=#366388 !important]Edward[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]’s wife, Sophie, and Princess Michael of Kent—unveils on the coffee table a huge pile of greenbacks that leave the hotel with her inside a black computer bag.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Oh....well two things going on here, this reporter hates the BRF and members of the BRF can be gullible and greedy.

You can not determine that this reporter hates the BRF. It does mean that they are gullible enough to fall for the trick 4 times, and this reporter knows they are an easy target and will make him money.
I don't think any reporter has feelings for his "prey"

 

[LadyHylton]

I understand there are no photos of the fake shiek. It's a bit late for the Duchess of York, but it would have been a good idea if Sophie Countess of Wessex & Princess Michael of Kent had done a police drawing of this man to send copies to everyone that might be a future target. It still might not be too late as I suspect he will continue this line as long as he keeps getting results.

 

[NotAPretender]

I understand there are no photos of the fake shiek. It's a bit late for the Duchess of York, but it would have been a good idea if Sophie Countess of Wessex & Princess Michael of Kent had done a police drawing of this man to send copies to everyone that might be a future target. It still might not be too late as I suspect he will continue this line as long as he keeps getting results.

I know I remember photos of the "fake sheik" when it all came out, I'm sure using Google's Images file would yield one or two. IIRC, the fake sheik really looked very fake.

I can't understand the endless excusing of Sarah's affairs by saying that Andrew was never home. It's not as though she didn't know that she was marrying a naval officer for crying out loud! And it also speaks poorly of her by essentially saying "well, she was lonely and horny and Andrew wasn't around to punch her ticket so off she went to find herself some fun." Is she that bereft of any common sense or decency?

Well....I guess she's answered that question. Yes, in spite of her years of experience - she still lacks common sense, and common decency not to bad-mouth her ex & his family to total strangers.

I've not seen the Sun's "Oh, all is forgiven poor dear Sarah, here have a crumpet" in which they claim that the Palace has enfolded her back into their bosom repeated in any other periodical.

However, the Daily Mail reports that she blames it on her drinking.

Sarah Ferguson tells Oprah Winfrey: 'I was in the gutter' as she speaks for first time about Prince Andrew scandal | Mail Online

My God, she really does have an endless supply of excuses, doesn't she?

 

[Lumutqueen]

She has to find somewhere to place the blame, not just the fact that she is mindlessly greedy and very gullable.
She just does not give up.
Hmmm she didn't sound too drunk on that video excepting the money.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I can't understand the endless excusing of Sarah's affairs by saying that Andrew was never home. It's not as though she didn't know that she was marrying a naval officer for crying out loud! And it also speaks poorly of her by essentially saying "well, she was lonely and horny and Andrew wasn't around to punch her ticket so off she went to find herself some fun." Is she that bereft of any common sense or decency?

There is a difference between explaining and condoning. I have never condoned her affairs but I do understand a young wife being lonely and seeking comfort and love in the arms of another when her husband is away a lot and she is forced to live in a large building with no real family of her own around her (she had an apartment at BP remember).

Many navy wives do exactly that - have affairs because of their husband's long absences and they too knew they were marrying navy men. I don't condone them either but I do understand them. Are you saying that all these wives also lace any common sense or decency?

Personally I don't. I just think it is an unfortunate consequence of marrying a navy man that the woman will seek physical love while there men are away (and many of these men also seek that love when in different ports).

 

[Russophile]

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).

This is true. IMO, she should have thought about that BEFORE she agreed to be DoY.

 

[NotAPretender]

I think it's a disgrace to the many, many, many faithful spouses of men and women under arms, to lump her in with them: for anyone married to someone in the service to use the absence of their spouse as the paper-thin coverlet for their manifest adultery. This is Memorial Day weekend in the US, where we honor those who have lived and died having served. How shallow of anyone to pretend that being the spouse of a serviceman or servicewoman is an excuse to throw themselves under the nearest hot body.

I understand passion - fully. I also understand vows, and I understand honor. Those adultery-seeking Navy wives who are in your acquaintance, bertie, are not those of my acquaintance, and they aren't the kind of people I would welcome into my home. nor do I think that they can possibly be considered representative of Navy spouses. They are a disgrace to themselves and to their spouses, and to their country. And yes - they have no honor. What they have is selfishness, self-interest. Are the drives of the groin so overwhelming for their apparently limited faculties? Evidently so!

The very fact that Sarah was so self-involved as to hurl herself whilst married into a myriad of affairs is exactly the same kind of personality for whom everything is not enough. If Andrew were around, what would have been her excuse to take lovers? Because quite honestly, I have zero doubt that she would have. Andrew loved her desperately and there isn't a single soul to dispute that. Having that love was just not enough, she had to go be grubby and bounce around on - poles.

And now this - this grubbiness again. Greedy and grabbing followed by the desperate search for something - someone - else to blame for her own gobbling.

I used to really think she had something. Now I realize that all she was or ever will be is out for herself. I think even the producers of the Kerry Katona monstrosities would balk at taking her on. How can any person in their right mind think of her as anything but well beyond her expiry date?

 

[Mermaid1962]

I'd guess that the idea that a spouse at home could be having an affair would be very, very bad for morale among people in the services. I wonder whether there have been any young service wives who've thought, "The Duchess of York was lonely and had an affair; so it's okay for me to have one as well"? People don't just fall into these situations afterall; a decision has to be made at some point to be unfaithful. People can make all kinds of excuses about why these things happen, but it comes down to the will. Even if a person does things because s/he's drunk, the person made the decision at some point to have a second drink.

I think it's a disgrace to the many, many, many faithful spouses of men and women under arms, to lump her in with them: for anyone married to someone in the service to use the absence of their spouse as the paper-thin coverlet for their manifest adultery. This is Memorial Day weekend in the US, where we honor those who have lived and died having served. How shallow of anyone to pretend that being the spouse of a serviceman or servicewoman is an excuse to throw themselves under the nearest hot body.

 

[livadia]

More and more I think the answer to Sarah's problematic behavior is described in the link below:

Narcissistic personality disorder: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

 

[LadyHylton]

Pleased to meet you, livadia! Thank you for the warm welcome, silviaelena. It is most appreciated.

Editing out the unnecessary bits.

 

[silviaelena]

Wellcomes Livadia and Ladyhilton, I agree with you livadia, I believe that it is due to the abandonment of her mother Susan for Hector Barrantes when she was 12 or 13 years old. She was traumatized.

 

[Wisteria]

Many navy wives do exactly that - have affairs because of their husband's long absences and they too knew they were marrying navy men. I don't condone them either but I do understand them. Are you saying that all these wives also lace any common sense or decency?

Personally I don't. I just think it is an unfortunate consequence of marrying a navy man that the woman will seek physical love while there men are away (and many of these men also seek that love when in different ports).

I am not easily shocked but this time Iluv you have shocked me and quite severely.
I only hope that you are alone in your understanding (not condoning) of these poor lonely wives.
Belonging to a family of long military tradition, what you have said has shocked me to the core, especially on this special day, Memorial Day.

 

[NotAPretender]

Are you saying that all these wives also lace any common sense or decency?

Yes.

Just as Sarah lacked the decency to end her marriage before embarking on frolics.

Yes. They are lacking.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I am not easily shocked but this time Iluv you have shocked me and quite severely.
I only hope that you are alone in your understanding (not condoning) of these poor lonely wives.
Belonging to a family of long military tradition, what you have said has shocked me to the core, especially on this special day, Memorial Day.

I also believe what IluvBertie says.
I can understand that when navy men are away their wives will have affairs.
Memorial day was on May 31st and is not celebrated in the UK.

 

[NotAPretender]

Lumutqueen - does the UK have the equivalent?

livadia & LadyHylton - as seen in posts #113 and #241 of this thread, the personality disorders have been mentioned. As you both probably already know, personality disorders differ from mental illness in that they can rarely be successfully treated. If Sarah has these, then she's pretty much always going to be like this. Hence the need for the controls discussed in posts #113 and #241. I won't repeat them here, too tedious.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Well we don't have an event to celebrate just the death of british soldiers.
We have Remembrance Day & Sunday, VE Day and celebrations of the Dunkirk landings and D-Day etc. But no i wouldn't say we did.

 

[Warren]

Guys, we seem to be getting sidetracked into an irrelevant discussion concerning the marital affairs of the wives of service personnel.
This has little to do with Sarah, Duchess of York's culpability in attempting to sell access to her former husband for large sums of money.

thanks,
Warren
British Forums moderator

 

[Wisteria]

I am sorry Warren, I forgot myself in my indignation. Sarah has behaved very badly but perhaps she will pull through, she has before, she has been very foolish as the BRF have been very tolerant and good to her.
Just let me say one more thing about the armed forces, for people who have family in any of the services, or have lost a dear one, every day of the year is a memorial day.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I think that the closest that Commonwealth countries come is Remembrance Day. I know that in Canada, we don't have a day when we decorate graves.

Lumutqueen - does the UK have the equivalent?

QUOTE]

 

[LadyHylton]

I know I remember photos of the "fake sheik" when it all came out, I'm sure using Google's Images file would yield one or two. IIRC, the fake sheik really looked very fake.

I had read that there were no photographs in several articles! Just proves that you really cannot believe very much of what you read. Thank you for clarifying!

 

[suztav]

I'm not condoning this latest lapse of judgement ... I've always like Sarah. However, let's remember that Sophie, Countess of Wessex was caught in a similar (although no video) lapse of judgement situation a few years ago

 

[Russophile]

More and more I think the answer to Sarah's problematic behavior is described in the link below:

Narcissistic personality disorder: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Thanks for the interesting link, Livadia.

However, though this seems to fit Sarah's personality to a "T", labeling this type of behavior isn't going to do a damn bit of good if the woman doesn't pull her head out and CHANGE. And since this type of behavior is par for the course since Sarah entered the public area, Russo hasn't any confidence that Sarah will. Sad to say. . .

 

[muriel]

I'm not condoning this latest lapse of judgement ... I've always like Sarah. However, let's remember that Sophie, Countess of Wessex was caught in a similar (although no video) lapse of judgement situation a few years ago

The situation with Sophie was very different!