She has been confronted with more than her fair share of criticism over the years, both from the media and members of the public, and now Sarah Ferguson has opened up about the negative publicity she copped, comparing her plight to that of another member of the royal family.
Speaking to Vogue Arabia, the Duchess of York said she can relate to the treatment Meghan has received since she married Prince Harry in May 2018, telling the publication she feels “desperately sorry” for the former actress, who welcomed her first child with the Duke of Sussex earlier this year.
“It must be hard for Meghan, and I can relate to her,” she said. “I believe she is modern and fabulous. She was famous before. She is great. Why can’t Meghan be great? Why can’t she be celebrated?”
Fergie added: “I have been in Meghan’s shoes, and I still am. There’s always a twist of negativity and it just gets so sad and tiring; it’s hard and mean. I abhor bullying and I feel desperately sorry for the pain they must be going through because I’ve been through it.”
The duchess, who was married to Prince Andrew for ten years before they divorced in 1996, also opened up about the criticism she personally faced and revealed how she coped with the negative attention, telling the publication: “I eventually self-sabotaged. I didn’t think of the ramifications of my actions. I was at the bottom of the barrel. It was almost as if I wanted to be unlovable.”
Sarah, who recently celebrated her 60th birthday, also touched upon the scandal surrounding her ex-husband due to his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, describing the allegations against him as “nonsense” and defending Andrew as the “best man she knows”.
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Following the Duke of York’s tell-all interview with the BBC last month, which was subsequently slammed by critics, Fergie took to social media to defend the father of her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
“It is so rare to meet people that are able to speak from their hearts with honesty and pure real truth, that remain steadfast and strong to their beliefs,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “Andrew is a true and real gentleman and is stoically steadfast to not only his duty but also his kindness and goodness of always seeing the best in people.”
She added: “I am deeply supportive and proud of this giant of a principled man, that dares to put his shoulder to the wind and stands firm with his sense of honour and truth. For so many years he has gone about his duties for Great Britain and The Monarch. It is time for Andrew to stand firm now, and that he has, and I am with him every step of the way and that is my honour.
“We have always walked tall and strong, he for me and me for him. We are the best examples of joint parenting, with both our girls and I go back to my three C’s … Communicate, Compromise, Compassion.”