You couldn’t make it up. Just days before new royal drama The Lady’s UK release date, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. He’s subsequently been released under investigation and has always consistently and vehemently denied allegations of wrongdoing.
No-one could've predicted the turn of events that would precede the show airing, though it has Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson (played by Natalie Dormer) as one of its two main characters. The other is Fergie’s former dresser, Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce), who the four-part show focuses on.
Yet I can’t help but feel that the current scandal involving the house of York will attract even more viewers to The Lady, many of whom might not even know the "toxic fairytale" story of Jane. No matter what reason you want to watch The Lady, real life has affected the drama in some ways.
Fergie lost her Duchess of York title in October when it was announced that Andrew would no longer use his Duke of York one, as hers was derived from his. Then King Charles confirmed he was stripping his brother of his princely title too. Sarah has not been accused of wrong-doing herself.
Though she has been embroiled in many headlines due to her own past links with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Several emails between them have been published, including one sent in 2011 where she referred to him as a "supreme friend".
Her spokesperson said that this email was sent in the "context of advice" following "threats" from Epstein but the scandal was overwhelming and multiple charities severed ties with her. Sarah has kept a low profile ever since, though Natalie Dormer (who plays her) was so appalled by the revelations that she announced she would no longer be promoting The Lady.
The actor - who’s known for her roles as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors and Cressida in The Hunger Games franchise - also vowed to donate her salary from the project.
"Since completing the project, new information has come to light that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my values with Sarah Ferguson's behaviour, which I believe is inexcusable," she said. "For that reason, I will not be taking part in the promotion of the project. In keeping with my commitment to the wellbeing of children."
As reported by the London Evening Standard, Natalie added that her "entire salary" would be donated to the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse.
As she is one of the two lead stars of The Lady her decision not to promote it is a major thing and was the focus of many articles at the time.
Her portrayal of Sarah is key to the show and the dynamic between the real Fergie and Jane Andrews was fascinating. Anyone expecting to tune into the drama and see scenes between Sarah and Andrew unfold should also know that this is not going to be the case. The Lady’s writer Debbie O’Malley has been quoted as clarifying that "Andrew does not feature".
She adds that The Lady isn’t "interested in the royal world because it’s very much about the female, domestic world of Sarah and Jane’s part in it. We only ever see the Sarah that Jane got to see". Jane worked as Sarah’s dresser for nine years, though she was no longer a royal employee when she was arrested and tried for murder.
The Lady will tell her story in four episodes aired over two weeks, during which there will likely continue to be plenty of scrutiny on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Lady airs on Sundays and Mondays at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
