Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has written a book, “Finding Sarah,” detailing her “journey to find herself” a year after she was taped by a journalist asking for cash for access to her former husband, Prince Andrew of the British royal family. She starred in a docu-series of the same name for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network. The duchess dishes with us:
In the last few days, U.K. newspapers have published highly critical articles about you and your book. Do you ever get used to it?
I’ve had it for more than 20 years. I can’t win with them. It’s not a lot of fun, but Fergie-baiting sells newspapers.
Even the U.S. media criticized some of the things you did on the OWN shows.
Dr. Phil said I was addicted to approval. He was right, and my journey in the last year taught me that. I’m recovering from the need for approval. The media can say what they like — I’ve learned to live through it, and anyway the OWN series gave me friendships with Oprah, Dr. Phil and Suze Orman.
Diana would have been 50 this month. You obviously still miss her.
Bless her. I’m the only royal ex-wife out here. Without her, I’m the only one having to do it on my own — with no support structure. It’s very difficult, because you are alone.
Loss is a key theme of the book. Your mother died in a car accident, your father from a long illness — and they divorced when you were young. What would you say if you could speak to them again?
That I love them, that I forgive them, that they have two wonderful granddaughters and that I’m a brilliant mum.
Do you recognize yourself on the video where you were set up by the journalist?
No. It was a crisis point for me, but I’m almost grateful because it forced me to confront my problems. This book and the journey I undertook are the result.
You make constant references to how wonderful your ex-husband, Prince Andrew, is. Can you ever be happy without being with him?
He is a wonderful man — my ideal, as I describe him in the book. Who knows what may happen? metro
