She's done making lemonade from lemons. Fergie
ditched the crown, flipped the tabloids the bird, and embraced that big D — um, duchess —
energy, as a mother to everyone on the planet. Diana Spencer and Sarah Ferguson were distant relatives, but became
true friends in their teens. As princess, Diana often invited Fergie to posh parties and
official events — including the Royal Ascot in 1985 as a potential match for Prince Andrew.
Though the Prince and Fergie had known each other since childhood, as Vanity Fair noted, the
meet-cute flung the pair into a whirlwind romance. As the relationship progressed, Ferguson began
making public appearances with the Royals, and Town and Country reported that she relied on Diana
to guide her. Diana loaned her clothes or offered advice. Ferguson later wrote in her autobiography
"My Story" about her first public appearance, "'Just keep smiling,' Diana whispered. And
I did, as I would for long years to come." On July 23, 1986, the cameras were trained on the future Duchess of
York, as she made it official with Prince Andrew.
But after a mere three-day honeymoon on the
queen's royal yacht, the young couple was forced to head back to London. Fergie later admitted to
Oprah that she was surprised by Buckingham Palace and the darkness of the rooms. She claimed they
were only allowed to use 30-watt bulbs. She added, "You didn't marry the fairytale. You
married a man. You fell in love and you married the man. And then you've got
to come to terms with the fairytale." But as she tried to adjust, the British tabloids
were ruthlessly tearing her apart. They honed in on her weight, calling her "The Duchess of
Pork," and dubbed her fashion sense a "no-style zone." Fergie struggled with her portrayal by the
media as well as living as a royal, admitting, "I was hungry for life and
this life made me lose myself." At first, the newlyweds seemed to get along.
During the couple's Canada tour in 1987, Fergie delighted fans with her
enthusiasm and sense of fun. But according to Macleans, the queen was later
disappointed in the pair's half-hearted attention to royal obligations. Andrew often went on naval
duty, and Fergie rarely made public appearances. It also seemed that no matter what she did,
she never got it right. If she went on tour with her husband, she was criticized for
leaving her daughter, Beatrice, at home. But after several years of abuse from the
media, Fergie seemed to care much less what the press or even the royal family
thought of her. She told the outlet, "My clothes and what I look like, really, that
is entirely up to me because, quite frankly, Andrew likes it, and I like it, and if no
one else does, well, that's their problem." But the cracks in the relationship began
to show in 1992. Following the birth of their youngest daughter, Eugenie, Fergie
and Andrew were rarely seen together. And they were soon separated. But it
would be scandalous photos of Fergie that ultimately brought the marriage to an
end. The queen granted a divorce in 1996. Newly-single, Fergie moved to the United States.
She retained her duchess title but no longer received financial support from the palace. She
quickly unearthed a new career as an author, publishing her first children's book in 1995.
Ever since, the duchess has written at least 38 kids' books, several autobiographical stories,
and even historical fiction. She also supported herself with endorsement deals, like a whopping
11-year partnership with Weight Watchers. "Is there some handout from the queen?" "No. No. Not at all. Nothing." The more time she spent in America, the more she emerged from her shell. She
launched her own charities, first in the U.K. with Children in Crisis and later in
the United States with Chances for Children. Explaining that her grandmother's advice was her
inspiration, she shared with People magazine, "My grandmother always used to say, 'When you
feel bad about yourself, go and give to others.'" In a 2021 interview with People in celebration of her book "Her Heart for a Compass," Fergie
revealed that the Covid lockdown changed her life. "I have, um, I've really become Sarah." The subject of her book,
she said, was much like her: "A true redhead — spontaneous,
with a zest for life." During the lockdown, Ferguson
ramped up her YouTube channel, reading loads of children's books and playing
a role she called "everybody's grandmummy." It was her gift to those who felt lonely, and she
often appeared without makeup and in costume, much to the delight of children young and old. One of Fergie's most notable imprints in philanthropy is "Little
Red." CBS reported that the character was originally designed as a logo for the "Chances
for Children" charity in the U.S. in 1994. The cartoon was soon made into a keepsake rag doll
that could be given to children. Ferguson quickly saw how popular the doll became and crafted a
series of children's books all about Little Red. Then, on September 11, 2001, Fergie was headed
to the charity's main office in the World Trade Center. As she later recounted to Larry King,
she was filming at "Good Morning America," and her assistant was on his way to the office when
they received word of the devastating attacks. But in the rubble, firemen had recovered a Little
Red doll that had fallen from the windowsill in Ferguson's office on the 101st floor. "I gave a Little Red doll to a girl on the
sidewalk. And had I not, I wouldn't be here." Ferguson told CBS that she
wrote a second Little Red book as a gift of gratitude to the
American people, explaining, "You've given me back my life, you know? The
American people have embraced me, just said, 'It's OK to be yourself.' Where nine
years ago, when I arrived (in the U.S.), I was a broken, sinking vessel, now my children
have their mommy back. And it's all thanks to the American people saying, 'You're all
right, Fergie. Come with us. It's OK.'" The next decade saw Fergie emerge as a businesswoman, author,
and truth-teller when it came to royal life. She continued to devote more of her time to
charity, even rocking a stunning red gown during fashion week for The Heart Truth in 2004.
While she and the queen have remained cordial, Fergie is occasionally snubbed from family
activities. Marie Claire reported that Prince Charles refused to invite her to the private
after-party for Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding. But despite the bad blood, Fergie and Prince
Andrew have enjoyed a glorious sort of reunion. She confirmed to the Financial Times that
when she is in England, she lives with Andrew at his home at the Royal Lodge, although in
different wings. Though she once was caught selling an all-access story about Andrew in 2010
to raise money, Andrew still stood by her side. Fergie, in turn, has stood by him
in the face of his own scandals, despite all damning evidence
against him. She claims, "We support each other like pillars of strength
with the honor and integrity of truth." No matter what she has endured throughout her life, Fergie practices
gratitude. During a 2002 interview with CNN, she talked about all of the embarrassment
she has faced in the press, adding, "Thank heavens I have been through that because
I learned. I learned so much about myself. And in learning about yourself, you can be humble
to understand that basically all I'm here to do is just keep on talking, really. Because
there are an awful lot of children out there that don't have a chance to be on 'Larry
King' and talk about how difficult it is to be in the freezing conditions of
Afghanistan right now or whatever it might be." Admitting that she was forced to become an expert
in handling all sorts of media coverage, she said, "I'm lucky. And how did I get here? By
making so many mistakes that the press got rather curious about how I made so many
mistakes. The good thing is that I learned." "I am the luckiest person." With her every move scrutinized in the media, Fergie had to get
philosophical about her mistakes and missteps. She talked about the mental toughness that her
position has required, once telling Larry King, "I for so many years have lived
in the darkness of thinking I have done everything wrong and been
irresponsible and probably have many times. But I am very good at blaming myself for
everything. Very good at beating myself up." But she fought her demons and ultimately learned how to turn a negative
into a positive. She explained, "OK, I made a mistake yesterday. But I'm gonna
give today a very good shot. And all I can do is teach myself my own boundaries and let's just hope
that by going forward you can make a difference." Admittedly, though, with such
public failures and humiliations, she had another coping mechanism that was less
empowering. And she would often use food as a way to comfort herself. Since that time
in her life, she has written five books in partnership with Weight Watchers to encourage
other people in their wellness journeys, too. "I had my friend which no one
knew about. That was food. As long as I could numb my
feelings, I would be fine." She's clearly a multi-talented powerhouse. But as
Fergie once told Harper's Bazaar, "The only thing I know I've done 100 percent right
is be a good mother. I'm proud to say I'm the best mom I know. People say to me, 'What is your brand
identity?' And I say, 'I'm a global mother.'" The duchess has also been open
about the impact her charity work has had on her own life. As she wrote
in an essay for the Evening Standard, "It has certainly made me a better mother
to my daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, giving me a sense of perspective,
and allowing me to encourage them to use the platform they have to
get involved in charitable work." Fergie's most recent philanthropic venture is Sarah's Trust, which helps match
wealthy benefactors with charities that suit their interests and beliefs. The duchess
is quoted on the foundation's website as saying, "I am incredibly excited to be bringing
all of my charitable causes under one roof with Sarah's Trust. It's something
I have wanted to do for a long time." When it comes to never giving up, Fergie
was all goals from the very beginning. Whether it's on behalf of her own loved
ones or her ever-expanding global family, it sounds like this red-headed, freckled,
60-something duchess is just getting started!
