Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, knows what it is like to be hounded by the British press and showed her support for Meghan Markle, who is going through the same thing. Ever since Markle married Prince Harry in May 2018, she has been at the center of countless rumors and reports that portray her relationship with her estranged father’s family as strained. There have also been rumors of feuds between Markle and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.
“I know what Meghan is going through,” Ferguson, 60, told Vogue Arabia in a new interview.
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“It must be hard for Meghan, and I can relate to her,” she later explained. “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?”
Ferguson later said she does not usually offer advise publicly, since “it is taken out of context, but 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.”
When asked how she handled negative media attention, Ferguson admitted to “self-sabotage.”
“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. But when I was at the bottom I wrote the book, Finding Sarah,” she said, referring to her 2011 memoir.
Ferguson also had some kind words for Princess Diana, Prince William and Harry’s late mother.
“I brought modern etiquette and fun, with Diana, Princess of Wales. Me and Diana had the best time,” she told Vogue Arabia. “We really did, no question. I loved her with all my heart.”
Ferguson is also fiercely protective of her daughters, Princesses Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29. The two have been under increased scrutiny thanks to their father’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Andrew’s ties to the convicted sex offender and a disastrous BBC interview led to Queen Elizabeth II announcing Andrew would no longer be taking part in official royal duties.
“When I talk about Prince Andrew, I talk about family because the last six months have been hard on the girls and me,” Ferguson told Vogue Arabia. “To see such a wonderful man go through such enormous pain. He is the best man I know. It’s just incredible what he has done for Britain, and it’s all nonsense [her voice raises as she alludes to the Epstein scandal], so I talk about familyhood, and I’m very strong about it. The mental health of men is important and I think it is vital to articulate that more.”
Meanwhile, sources recently suggested that Markle’s relationship with Middleton has become more difficult. There have been rumors of a rift between William and Harry ever since Harry and Markle broke out on their own. Markle and Harry are also reportedly not going to attend the annual Christmas royal gathering at Sandringham.
Photo credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for IWC
