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!