Sarah Ferguson appeared on This Morning on Thursday, March 30, to discuss her new book A Most Intriguing Lady and while on the daytime television show, which this week has been fronted by Holly Willoughby. Alison Hammond and Joel Dommett while Phillip Schofield is away, she revealed her stance on the controversy surrounding Prince Andrew, her former husband.
After chatting to Joel and Holly about how America has welcomed the members of the Royal family, such as herself and her nephew Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, with open arms, she explained: "I wish Harry and Meghan and the family the best of luck there. It is extraordinary how welcoming Americans are." The Duchess of York was asked how she dealt with such scandals as Prince Andrew's relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the allegation made in 2021 by Virginia Giuffre of sexual abuse against her.
Holly said: "The past few years, the Royal family have been through tricky times. There has been a lot of spotlight on Prince Andrew and you have stood by him through thick and thin, really. I am just wondering how that time has been for you?"
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The 63-year-old duchess replied: "Well, it's funny actually. Because it's Beatrice, Eugenie and I. We are a family unit. My girls stand for service, they stand for holding and maintaining hard jobs and they're mothers, and they're public figures, and they do charity work. They're extraordinary examples of princesses out in service, which is what their grandmother taught them and I taught them, with humility.
"And so I think the York family as a unit symbolises no judgement, kindness and moving forward to make people sit up and go 'Stop'. Stop always believing what you read. Stop this. Stop that. Walk forward as a unit and remain steadfast to that. And I've been through difficult times and he's always stood by me. You can't have it both ways and I've always said that."
Earlier in the show, Fergie - as she is more affectionately known - explained how it felt to start a new career in her 60s and the similarities between her and her main protagonist. She said: "In every page I’ve thrown in a dream or a wish… and people say ‘are you Lady Mary?’ And I say ‘wallflower, me? No!’ but on the other hand sometimes I am like that because I hide. I hide behind a veneer because I don't want people to see things… I have done [this] all my life.”
She added: "Why am I trying a new career at 63 - well the first book I was 61 - but I like it, and that you can have a new career at 63… you’re not just a wife, or a granny or an ex wife, or a duchess, you can actually be Sarah. So for anyone watching, don’t give up."
And it's attracted so much hype that the story has even been signed to become a television show and, she muses, could even overtake Prince Harry's novel, Spare, in the book charts.
She said: "I think so! And Jeffrey Archer too! Take them out!," before reflecting: "But the most important thing is to stay positive. I think there’s too much unkindness, social media is a sewer and cyber bullying has got to go. Whenever I’m asked about Harry or anything else, I say ‘let's just look at kindness’ and one of the Queen’s messages was that there should be more kindness because it definitely diffuses malice.”
As for her plans for the King's coronation, Sarah Ferguson revealed she'll be getting the bunting out and told the presenters: "He’s been such an extraordinary person, The King, and it’ll be a new chapter and at last they are recognising all the work he’s done for the environment and good on him. I think we will pull out the flags and the bunting and say welcome and we really admire you. And Camilla too."
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.
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