Fergie's extravagant spending habits under scrutiny
In the mid-1990s, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, found herself in a significant financial predicament, accumulating nearly $5 million in debt. This debt was primarily due to her lavish lifestyle, marked by extravagant spending on staff, parties, holidays, and luxury goods.
The Duchess's excessive spending included renting expensive properties with large staffs, hosting nonstop parties, and extravagant food demands akin to medieval feasting—all often wasted. She was known to leave hotels without paying bills, and at one point, owed money to approximately 200 creditors.
Queen Elizabeth II intervened, confiscating Ferguson's fuel payment card and taking over her finances. The Queen even covered some debts, including a reported £500,000 bailout, and Ferguson lived rent-free in a Windsor mansion alongside Prince Andrew after their separation.
These financial troubles and lifestyle excesses are detailed in Andrew Lownie's biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which portrays Ferguson as spending wildly while exploiting her royal connections to avoid paying bills.
In 1994, when the banks demanded a lot of money in a short time, Queen Elizabeth II had to personally step in and settle Ferguson's debts.
The book further tarnishes the reputation of Prince Andrew, as it reveals details about his 2006 affair in Thailand. It also sheds light on bitter times in the relationship between Ferguson and Queen Elizabeth II.
The book, published by William Collins, will be available from 14 August 2025.
After her divorce in 1996, Ferguson allegedly paid off debts by closing various advertising deals and receiving an advance on her memoirs. However, her US company "Hartmoor" collapsed in 2009. The writing of Ferguson's memoirs remains with the Duchess, but she could lose her accommodation in the Royal Lodge.
The author claims to have details from Ferguson's former lover, the US financier John Bryan, and former employees, alleging that Ferguson abused her royal status and lived extravagantly at the crown's expense. The book contains excerpts published in the British press that reveal quirks that don't quite fit the image of Ferguson as a lively, energetic confidante of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sources: - thedailybeast.com - mirror.co.uk - "Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York" by Andrew Lownie
Sarah Ferguson's financial struggles, as detailed in Andrew Lownie's biography, were rooted in excessive spending on entertainment, including renting expensive properties, hosting lavish parties, and luxury goods. The book also portrays her as exploiting her royal connections to dodge paying bills, a practice that greatly tarnished her reputation.
Despite her efforts to pay off debts after her divorce in 1996, her US company "Hartmoor" collapsed in 2009, raising questions about her financial management even as she allegedly abused her royal status for personal gain.
