Who is Sarah Ferguson? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In October

Also Known As: Sarah, Duchess of York, Sarah Margaret Ferguson,Fergie

Age: 63 Years, 63 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Prince Andrew, Duke of York (m. 1986 - div. 1996), Prince Andrew

father: Ronald Ferguson

mother: Susan Wright

children: Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie

Born Country: England

TV Presenters Children's Authors

Height: 5'7" (170 cm), 5'7" Females

City: Marylebone, England

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Childhood & Early Life

Sarah Margaret Ferguson was born on October 15, 1959, in London, England. She is the second daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson (1931–2003), and his first wife, Susan Wright (1937–1998). Her father was the manager of the Prince of Wales's polo team. Her parents divorced in 1974. Her mother married polo player Héctor Barrantes in 1975.

Sarah stayed with her father at his childhood home at Dummer Down Farm in Hampshire. In 1976, her father married Susan Deptford. Owing to this marriage, Ferguson had three stepsiblings: Andrew, Alice, and Elizabeth.

Sarah Ferguson�initially attended the 'Daneshill School' in Stratfield Turgis and then the 'Hurst Lodge School' in Ascot. She finally graduated from the 'Queen's Secretarial College.' Even though she was not academically good, Ferguson was an accomplished horseback rider, a talented swimmer, and a skilled tennis player.

Following her graduation, Ferguson worked for an art gallery, two public relations firms in London, and a publishing company.

In her early years, Sarah Ferguson had dated stockbroker Kim Smith-Bingham and motor-racing manager Paddy McNally. Paddy was 22 years older than her when they met.

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As the Duchess of York

Through her father, Ferguson got acquainted with the royal family at a tender age. Thus, Prince Andrew and Ferguson had known each other since childhood. They kept meeting each other at royal events such as polo matches.

On March 19, 1986, Ferguson and Prince Andrew got engaged. Prince Andrew had designed her engagement ring. It had 10 diamonds and a huge Burmese ruby that complemented her red hair.

The royal wedding was held at 'Westminster Abbey' on July 23, 1986.

Following this, Sarah Ferguson became the Duchess of York and accompanied Andrew to royal engagements and official overseas visits.

They toured Canada in 1987. On January 22, 1988, while they were in New York for a fundraising event, the duchess was saved from a man trying to attack her.

Their California visit in March 1988 was heavily criticized by two British newspapers. The city officials of Los Angeles condemned the newspapers and defended the royal couple, citing their behavior as friendly and dutiful.

The duchess gave birth to a daughter, Beatrice, on August 8, 1988. The following month, she accompanied Andrew to an official tour to Australia. The media criticized her decision to leave her newborn back at home.

Her second daughter, Eugenie, was born on March 23, 1990. The British tabloids began criticizing her again, ridiculing her post-pregnancy weight gain.

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Separation & Divorce

The royal marriage took a tumultuous turn when the duchess and Prince Andrew drifted apart because of the latter's duties as a naval officer. He would be away from home for long periods, and she found it emotionally frustrating. By 1991, the two were estranged from each other.

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Around the same time, the press released some unflattering photographs of the duchess with Texan multimillionaire Steve Wyatt. The incident rocked the marriage furthermore.

Andrew and Sarah Ferguson separated on March 19, 1992. In August that year, the 'Daily Mirror' released her photographs with John Bryan, an American financial manager, for which she was widely ridiculed.

The duke and duchess announced their mutual divorce in May 1996. However, they continued living together, though in separate quarters of the royal home.

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Life After Divorce

Even after the divorce, Sarah Ferguson attended a few royal events along with her daughters, such as the inductions of the Duke of York into the 'Royal Victorian Order' and the 'Order of the Garter.' She also attended the 'Royal Ascot.' She was addressed as a royal family member in these events.

She appeared in several commercials for 'Weight Watchers,' as part of her 11-year endorsement contract with the company. Ferguson penned her autobiography, some books on diet, and several children's books.

In 1998, Ferguson made a cameo in the popular sitcom 'Friends.'

On June 12, 2002, 'Universal TV' signed her self-produced and self-hosted syndicated talk show. The short-lived show was to debut in September 2003.

Until 2004, she shared the royal family's home, ‘Sunninghill Park,’ in Berkshire. In May, she hosted a feature on ‘Peter Pan,’ titled 'The Legacy of Pan.' Ferguson later voiced the queen's character in the 'Walt Disney' feature animation 'The Cat That Looked at a King.'

On August 18, 2009, she appeared on the ‘ITV1’ reality show 'The Duchess on the Estate,' where she provided life coaching to families in a council estate in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England. She had previously been featured in 'The Duchess in Hull,' which had a similar concept, but was subjected to criticism.

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Sarah was the producer of the 2009 Emily Blunt-starrer film 'The Young Victoria.'

In May 2010, the 'News of the World' conducted an undercover operation that revealed that American financier Jeffrey Epstein had paid off some of Ferguson's debts. She was to be declared voluntarily bankrupt in August that year.

On January 13, 2012, Turkish authorities issued an international arrest warrant for her. She was accused of producing false reasons to enter Turkey in 2008, trespassing the Turkish government, and distorting information about a Turkish state orphanage she filmed.

In 2015, Ferguson started living in Verbier, Switzerland, where she co-owned a luxurious chalet with Andrew. The following year, she applied for Swiss residency.

Ferguson has been associated with the 'BBC Radio 2' primetime lifestyle show 'Steve Wright.' She co-produced and co-hosted the ‘BBC’ documentary 'In Search of the Spirit.'

Though not invited to the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, she attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.

In 2019, Ferguson announced her production venture, a documentary on Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

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Philanthropy

In 1990, the duchess served as a patron of the 'Teenage Cancer Trust.' She established 'Children in Crisis' in 1993.

In June 1998, the 'Journal of Women's Health' acknowledged her charity work by presenting her an award.

In 2003, Ferguson joined the 'American Cancer Society' and became a founding supporter of its annual campaign, 'Great American Weigh In.'

In 2006, she established 'The Sarah Ferguson Foundation' in Toronto. She supported the British charities 'Mental Disability Rights International,' the 'African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust,' the 'Motor Neurone Disease Association,' and 'CARE International.'

In 2008, she was a patron of 'Humanitas.' She supported the 'Mullany Fund' in 2010. The non-profit organization 'Not for Sale' named Ferguson their global ambassador in 2011.

In 2013, Ferguson, Andrew, and their daughters co-established 'Key to Freedom.' The following year, the 'Institute of Global Health Innovation' at ‘Imperial College London' appointed her as an ambassador.

Since Beatrice was diagnosed with dyslexia, Ferguson felt motivated to join 'Springboard for Children,' a non-profit aiding such dyslexic children.

She is also a patron of the 'Natasha Allergy Research Foundation' since June 2019. The foundation monitors the ingredients of pre-packaged food to prevent allergic reactions.

Trivia

Ferguson had a narrow escape during the horrific 9/11 attack. She was late for a charity meeting on the 101st floor. She had just arrived when one of the planes crashed into one of the towers, but she was saved by the staff.

Sarah Ferguson Biography