Candle in the wind for New Age Fergie
A scented candle in her bathroom may have provided the Duchess of York with a little aromatherapy, but it also landed her with a £20,000 ($40,000) bill after nearly burning down her new home, Dolphin House.
The Duchess of York’s Windsor property, Dolphin House
Fergie had left the house yesterday for a business appointment when her housekeeper found smoke billowing from the bathroom.
Ten firefighters arrived on the scene and put the flames out, but not before considerable damage had been done by fire and smoke. Neither of the Duchess’s children, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, were thought to be at home at the time.
A fire brigade officer said, “The Duchess may not feel that lucky right now but this fire could have been very much worse. If the housekeeper had not been there to react so quickly, it could have destroyed much more than a bathroom suite.â€
Fergie moved into the house last year following the sale of Sunninghill Park. It is less than a mile from her former husband Prince Andrew’s home at Royal Lodge, Windsor.
So will Fergie be lodging with Andrew again, albeit temporarily? Only if she leaves the candles behind, I would imagine.
Welcome back, John!
I hope your move went smoothly, and that you’re enjoying your new home and office.
I bet Sarah won’t be leaving candles burning in odd corners of her house anymore.
Do you know anything about this house? I assume it has more than one bathroom.
By Evelyn on January 31st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Thanks, Evelyn. Actually we haven’t moved yet — that’s on Sunday. We’ve been up to our necks in packing though.
I don’t know much about Fergie’s house. Judging by its size, it will definitely have several bathrooms and en suite rooms. Candles are always a hazard, particularly if left alone.
By John on January 31st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
From the photos, Dolphin House looks like one of those wonderful old residences from the Regency period, so I would love to know more about it, also. The Duchess of York is, indeed, very lucky that the fire was able to be contained. Let’s just be grateful that no one was injured!
I am sorry to hear that your move is still ahead of you, John, but at least the end is in sight!
By Gigi on January 31st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Gigi, the picture is not very good. It only shows what seems to be the gatehouse or lodge. The real house is probably much bigger.
Yes, nearly there now.
By John on January 31st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Speaking of Royal Lodge, where Prince Andrew resides, I have never seen a photograph of this Royal residence. The Royal Family website does not include Royal Lodge in its “Art and Residences” section. Can anyone provide a link to a photograph of Royal Lodge? Also, I read a wonderful article today in I believe the Daily Mail. It was an interview with Prince Andrew, Duke of York and he spoke with great affection and regard for his wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and his nephews, Prince William and Prince Harry, and how proud he is that they are performing military service. I am sure that many of our merry group will want to read this article.
By Gigi on January 31st, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Gigi, one of the best pictures of Royal Lodge is HERE.
Also, a modern picture of the gates HERE..
And a famous picture of it in 1827 HERE..
By John on January 31st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Did Dolphin House have smoke alarms I wonder?
By Royalist on January 31st, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Thankyou John for the pictures of Royal Lodge, despite remarks to the contrary in the text I think it is quite imposing.
By Royalist on January 31st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Those pictures of Royal Lodge are from before a fire and rebuild, after which the house has been much smaller. When using Google Images, I was able to find one black-and-white photo of Royal Lodge with then young Princess Elizabeth in the foreground. If that’s more or less what it’s like now, the house isn’t massive, but would be good size for a single man with two daughters who stay there at times.
By Evelyn on January 31st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Thanks so much, John, for the links to photos of Royal Lodge! I guess the reply I posted several hours ago didn’t make it to the site or something. I love the idea that the Royal Lodge has been home to two Dukes of York and their Duchesses!
By Gigi on January 31st, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Gigi, I didn’t see the interview with Andrew that you mentioned but I did see that he was interviewed on “The Today Show” earlier this week (I think it was Tuesday). The show did a couple of other “royal” features over the course of Monday’s and Tuesday’s shows, including a short piece on Buckingham Palace and one on the Queen’s resurging popularity. It was all very positive press for them all. I can’t remember if Andrew mentioned Sarah in his interview other than their efforts at being parents, but he did speak quite fondly of his two girls, including his trip to Egypt with Beatrice. You could tell he is very proud of her and how she’s getting along as a young princess.
Bad week for candles, it seems. One of the actresses at the SAG awards reported that her cat was set afire by a candle. The cat was none the wiser that its entire coat went up in smoke, apparently, and otherwise suffered no injuries.
By Melissa on January 31st, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Here’s an odd factoid, given that the fire was caused by a candle. Sarah has a line of scented candles at the Bath and Body Works store chain. The candles are also available online at the Bath and Body Works website. I had no idea. I wonder if the candle she was burning was one of her own? Now that would be ironic.
By Melissa on February 1st, 2008 at 12:15 am
Personally I believe in bath salts if you want aromotherapy!!! Candles are a hazard. I’m happy to hear that there was not more damage or injuries.
By Trudie on February 1st, 2008 at 12:32 am
An article in the Thousand Oaks (California) Acorn says that Sarah Ferguson’s office on the 101st floor of the World Trade Center was destroyed on 9/11. Did she lose staff that day?
By Evelyn on February 1st, 2008 at 4:54 am
Evelyn, I don’t think staff were lost because Sarah was in New York that day and in fact on her way to her office when the planes crashed; she has spoken about it and I don’t remember her ever mentioning losing staff and she surely would have.
I am paranoid about candles and I insist on quenching them myself, I just don’t trust anybody else, it is too easy to forget they are lighting and head off to bed.
By Eliza on February 1st, 2008 at 11:45 am
Thanks for the info on 9/11, Eliza. I’m glad Sarah didn’t lose anyone on that terrible day.
By Evelyn on February 1st, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Eliza, I am just as paranoid about candles as you are. I light candles for our dining table myself and extinguish them myself as soon as dinner is ended. I stopped using lighted votive candles on our home prayer center and have used battery operated candles there for several years. It simply isn’t worth the risk of fire. I am also glad to hear that Sarah, Duchess of York, did not have staff who lost their lives in the WTC Towers on 9/11. The collateral damage from that terrorist attack will be felt for years by many people and the attack itself will never be forgotten.
By Gigi on February 1st, 2008 at 4:09 pm
It was a truly awful event. I have a friend who works on Wall Street, he married that December, a full thirty of the intended guests were killed on 9/11.
By Eliza on February 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Sarah Ferguson designed a rag doll, called Little Red, as the logo for her New York based charity Chances for Children. One of the tattered dolls was found in the rubble of the World Trade Center after 9/11. Sarah and her staff were very fortunate that sad day. An angel must have been watching over them!
By Arthur on February 1st, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Hi all. Just got connected here in the new office. Will be back at full steam on tuesday.
Eliza, thanks for the info about 9/11. I’d heard that Fergie was involved, but not to such an extent. She was indeed very lucky that day, as Arthur says.
By John on February 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Speaking of Sarah’s and Andrew’s homes… I read that Prince Andrew has accepted an offer of $30 million US dollars for their marital home, Sunninghill Park, which was a gift from the Queen for their wedding. He is undertaking renovations at Royal Lodge, and also pays an annual rent there.
By Evelyn on February 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
The Sun is reporting that Sarah will be moving into Andrew’s home for the next two weeks, until they take their daughters on their annual skiing holiday. It’s expected that it will take about six weeks to repair the fire and smoke damage to Sarah’s home.
By Evelyn on February 4th, 2008 at 2:12 am
I’m sure Andrew will be very happy to have her there.
By Rman on February 4th, 2008 at 3:45 am
With strict orders to leave her candles behind, I’m guessing.
By John on February 4th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Is Andrew off to the U.S. for his coast-to-coast mission as something of a trade ambassador? Or is that yet to come? I can’t remember the exact time of his visit. Sarah might have his place to herself while he is jetting around over here.
I read that William may be undertaking a “work experience” at a British newspaper at the conclusion of his military training. It is still in the works and not written in stone, but it is believed that working in the news would help him in his future role. While there is speculation as to what newspaper might be chosen, I think he should bypass the papers altogether and come work for Royal Anecdotes.
By Melissa on February 4th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
There’s a chair with a Royal crest atop waiting for him, Melissa. Kate can come too.
By John on February 4th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Well good! Let’s ask Gigi to plan the tea party to welcome them.
By Melissa on February 4th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Andrew’s US tour starts Sunday. The Daily Mail reports that he’ll make 60 stops in southern cities, so perhaps one will be near you in Oklahoma, Melissa. Maybe John will give you a Royal Anecdotes press pass for the event to report here firsthand.
By Evelyn on February 4th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Evelyn, I saw that Andrew was going to be doing the “southern leg” of the trade tour and another gentleman would be going to the northern cities, although I was amused to see that Andrew would be including New York in his itinerary. I think the Yankees of New York would be surprised to find that they’ve been lumped in with the south.
I wondered if maybe Sarah was going to be in NY at that time and perhaps he was going to visit.
Dallas is only a three-hour journey from where I live. I would be happy to don a reporter’s cap and provide coverage of Andrew’s doings if he were to make an appearance in the Lone Star State. Of course, Gigi is in Texas so we might have to share the press pass.
I wonder what the Queen thinks of the sale of Sunninghill Park? I read not too long ago that Sarah “helps out” Andrew sometimes because he can’t quite make ends meet on his royal income. One example was that she funded his annual Christmas party. If he made $30 million off the sale of his home, I think he should be putting up his own Christmas party in 2008.
By Melissa on February 4th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I read in the Sun too that Andrew invited Sarah to stay with him while her home is repaired. Those two need to get a permenant room!!! it is so obvious they are still in love with each other and if they cannot remarry because of PP and the courtiers then they should just live together.
By Trudie on February 4th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I really wish they would remarry, also, Trudie. Prince Andrew’s statements during his recent “Today” interview, in which he laid at the feet of Sarah, Duchess of York all the credit for raising their daughters to be the lovely and responsible young ladies they are, really demonstrated that he loves her very much. I think it is a terrible situation when servants and employees can damage with impunity a Royal marriage and be permitted to get away with it.
By Gigi on February 4th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I read not too long ago that Sarah “helps out†Andrew sometimes because he can’t quite make ends meet on his royal income.
I have also read this, Melissa, and I can not understand how the children of one of the richest women in the world have trouble making ends meet. Didn’t the Queen ever set up trust funds for her children? What about the money inherited from their Grandmother, the late Queen Mother? I think it’s time a credible accounting firm takes a legitimate look at the Royal family’s finances. Then we might be able to understand how someone like the Queen Mother, with an estate valued at $140 million dollars, can owe the bank $14 million dollars in overdrafts at the time of her death.
Also, if Sarah Ferguson’s divorce settlement from Prince Andrew did not entitle her to half the proceeds from the eventual sale of Sunninghill Park, then Sarah should sue her divorce attorneys for malpractice!
By Arthur on February 4th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Arthur, I think you have a lot of company being amongst those who are curious about the RF’s finances. I read the story about the Queen Mother’s debts that she left behind. You probably remember the famous anecdote about the first President Bush going into a grocery store during his presidency and being clueless as to how much a carton of milk cost. The incident was used to illustrate that he was out of touch with the common man. Whether true or not, sometimes there are members of the RF that come to mind in the same way. It reminds me of the common refrain of fathers everywhere when speaking to their children: “Do you think money grows on trees?” (I mean no disrespect in saying these things - I think one of the pitfalls of being a royal is the disconnect between how they live and how “the other half” lives. Their reality is remarkably different from most everyone else.)
They divorced so long ago that I hadn’t considered Sarah’s stake in the sale of the property. Good point, Arthur! To be a fly on the wall…
By Melissa on February 4th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Men of a certain age, if they are married to a wife who does not work outside the home, do not shop for groceries and therefore do not know how much groceries cost. I also wondered about the overdraft for the Queen Mother, but I believe that it was the funds she derives from the Civil List that were connected to the overdraft. The fortune she left were her own private funds. It is curious that Queen Elizabeth II is a very good money manager, as is Prince Philip. However, she is the daughter of the Queen Mother, who was not a good money manager and was quite extravagant. Even more curious, the frugality of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip did not filter down to their children. Charles, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Prince Edwards enjoy living lavishly and do, in fact, live lavishly, to the distress and disapproval of their parents.
By Gigi on February 4th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Melissa, I just read that although Sunninghill Park was a “wedding gift” to Prince Andrew, the Queen retained ownership of the house until the year 2000. The Queen subsequently signed ownership over to Prince Andrew four years after Andrew and Sarah divorced. That would mean the house was not marital property at the time of the divorce. The Queen is a very savvy woman, indeed.
By Arthur on February 4th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Gigi,
I work for a very reputable global accounting and auditing firm. I do not doubt that her Majesty & Prince Philip are financially prudent in how they spend money. The problem may be, though, that they are likely not closely tied into how their money is both invested and safely guarded. It is incredible how many thousands of ways an even halfway decent accountant or financial advisor can manage to “lose” vast sums through a few weaknesses in accounting methods or choices of investments. John is absolutely right: The Queen and PP should have a top nothch firm review both their finances and investments to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the accounting controls in place as well as the soundness of their investments.
By Lisa on February 5th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Arthur, I did read that, too, and hadn’t quite made the connection in my mind that it wouldn’t have been akin to community property since neither party owned the property during the marriage. You are, of course, exactly right. I think I read the same article that John read, where it said that the property was sold for millions more than what it was worth when it was built for Andrew and Sarah. My thoughts merely went to how much money Andrew was putting in his pocket without considering much more than that. So Andrew can indeed foot the bill for his Christmas party this year since he won’t be sharing any of the windfall. And maybe he can afford a professional photographer to take the portrait for his Christmas cards this time, too.
I think I remember that you are a Patriots fan. Sorry about the Super Bowl. I know your team will still be very competitive in the years to come.
By Melissa on February 5th, 2008 at 1:10 am
This is off the current topic but is related to the Royals, so I wanted to point out that there is a gallery of baby pictures on the Royals’ official website. At the top of the aforementioned home page, there is a link on the far right for Insight Magazine. Click on that. Once you’re on that page, click on the Focus link on the left side and voila! Royal babies galore! It was just the thing to cheer me up so I thought I would share in case some of the Royal Anecdotians might have missed it. I love chubby baby cheeks.
By Melissa on February 5th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Melissa, I’m still licking my wounds over the Giant’s 17 to 14 win over the Patriots;
however, football fans could not have asked for a more exciting Super Bowl.
By Arthur on February 5th, 2008 at 3:20 am
Arthur, Royal assets are always entailed on the Royal house and are never split in divorce proceedings. This is to protect the Royal Estate. I doubt Andrew will pick up all of the sale price either.
Most of the QM’s estate was in the form of jewellery and property, and as she spent a lot more than her Civil List income plus the £2m ($4m) a year the Queen gave her, an overdraft was the only way to fund her lavish lifestyle.
As for Andrew, he gets a Civil List income directly from the Queen and a small Navy pension. But his lifestyle is such that it obviously isn’t enough.
The bulk of the Queen’s fortune is also in personal assets, the Royal Estates having been taken over by Parliament when William of Orange became King. In terms of hard cash the Queen is said to be personally worth only £300m ($600m), a trifle in today’s terms, so she has to run her household on relatively small sums.
By John on February 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Arthur I’m sorry NE lost but as a BIG BLUE FAN you can imagine how I feel. yes it was exciting down to the last though in the last two min it was still anyones game. Still you have a in season undefeated record to be proud of.
By Trudie on February 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am
John, I was wondering…If the property was deeded to Andrew by the Queen and he then sold the property, where do the proceeds from the sale go? He gets a portion and the rest goes to … ?
Andrew picked a strange time to speak publicly about his views of the Bush Administration’s handling of the Middle East. He leaves today (according to one news account, although others say Sunday) for a lengthy business tour of the U.S. It would have seemed more prudent to wait until after his trip, as it might have an adverse impact on his mission. Of course the newspaper that conducted the interview may have timed the piece to run this week for exactly that reason. At any rate, it was interesting to see what he had to say, even if it ran afoul of the Royal custom against getting involved in political matters.
By Melissa on February 5th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Here’s another story I found on the subject of Andrew’s land sale and his lease agreement at Royal Lodge:
From The Sunday Times, February 3, 2008
“THE Duke of York has sold Sunninghill Park, the marital home that was a wedding gift from the Queen, for £15m.
Newly disclosed Land Registry documents contradict previous claims that Prince Andrew was forced into a knockdown price of £6m to £7m after the house had languished on the market for four years.
Andrew is a double winner because he was allowed to buy a 75-year lease on Royal Lodge for £1m when market estimates value it at £20m. In return for carrying out a multi-million-pound refurbishment with his own money, the Crown Estate also allowed Andrew to waive an annual rent of £250,000.
Andrew … is given an allowance of £250,000 a year by the Queen and has an annual expenses bill of approximately £350,000 in his role as a roving ambassador for British business”
By Melissa on February 5th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Melissa, Andrew is obviously getting some good accountancy advice for these property deals. I wasn’t aware that the Queen turned over the deeds of South York (Sunninghill Park) in 2000. I wonder if she will claim back her original expenditure for building the house from the sale price?
By John on February 5th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Can somebody tell me what’s going on with William & Kate? I’m hearing these crazy stories that their relationship is limping along and the reason that they haven’t been seen together since before Christmas is because William doesn’t want to be seen with her. I know that there are a lot of false stories out there but can somebody comment on this?
By Claudius on February 5th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Claudius, William is on intensive flying training with the RAF, based in Lincolnshire. He doesn’t get that much time off. When he does, she probably goes to Clarence House and meet privately.
We always knew this would be the case. If they have to get through 2008 without an engagement announcement, they need to stay out of the headlines so as not to provoke more speculation.
I think it’s a good idea, although it cuts down the number of stories we get about them.
By John on February 5th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Thank you John for reasuring me. I just needed to hear that.
By Claudius on February 5th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
It is rather dreary not seeing photos of Prince William and Kate together and reading stories about them.
I fear another Saint Valentine’s Day shall come and go without another Royal engagement being proclaimed. (Very annoying.) Nevertheless, far be it from me to tell the RAF how to structure the training of their pilot officers! The military has been conducting their training for generations of men and women very successfully without my interference. 
We shall have to bide our time and wait for the Balmoral wedding of Peter and Autumn, in May. How we shall get through the rest of 2008 I really have no idea, but perhaps something festive shall transpire.
By Gigi on February 5th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
LOl, I agree Gigi. We just have to wait but I can tell you, it’s not easy. You just wish that you can see one photo of them. But I’m sure them keeping a low profile at this time, is a good thing.
By Claudius on February 5th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
South York, take off of Southfork from the J.R. Ewing days.
John, I admit you had me very curious as to where the proceeds of the property sale would go if they didn’t go into Andrew’s pocket but now I see that you were probably thinking the Queen would be benefitting from the sale, as well. The Royal website says something to the effect that the Royal finances are seen as secretive and mysterious but that they are actually very open about how money is spent, down to providing an accounting of sorts that can be downloaded. It’s still a little mysterious to me, though, and Arthur has set my mind wondering about all kinds of legal scenarios and the applicability of the law to the Royals. Much of the legal precedent our judicial system was founded on came from common law, of course, which is based on British law that followed our founders across the Atlantic. It seems, in some respects, that different laws may apply to the Royals at times. I didn’t mean to say that they’re above the law or outside the law, if it came across that way, just that there seems to be a different way of doing things. It’s interesting.
There is an article written by one of Mario Testino’s former interns on one of the UK news websites (it’s not the Daily Mail but I can’t remember if it was Times Online, the Guardian or the Telegraph). He describes what Kate might be in for during her brief sojourn under Testino’s tutelage. Sounds like a wild ride. I hope she is catching up on her sleep!
(I’ve had way too much time to read royal articles the last few days!)
By Melissa on February 5th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
The Mario Testino article is on the Times Online. Put “Mario Testino” in the search box on their site. The name of the article is “Inside the Court of King Mario.”
By Melissa on February 5th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Regarding William and Kate, there is something that has been buzzing around my head for a while. Having flown solo is the major part of Flying Officer Wales earning his RAF wings. Trainee RAF pilots get their wings presented on completion of their training at a ceremonial parade attended by relatives and friends(much like Sandhurst) usually by the Station Commander or a more senior officer. I see no reason for Prince William being a differant kettle of fish, so will Charles and KATE be attending??
By Royalist on February 5th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
I have a feeling that Kate will be at the ceremony. their relationship is on a more formal footing and Kate now conduct’s herself as a future royal. I do believe that The Queen and Prince Charles will be at the ceremony as well. I would like to see the Spencers at least one ceremony.
By Claudius on February 5th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Gigi, there are lots of Royal stories around but with chaos still prevailing in our new office, I’ve not had time to write them up. We’ll be more or less back to normal today.
By John on February 6th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Melissa, in Sunninghill Park’s early days it was pointed out that the design had a strong resemblance to Southfork in Dallas, the TV series. Naturally, some wag christened it South York.
In terms of Royal finances, they have been paid directly from Parliament since William and Mary’s day, so have been subject to different rules than ours. To some extent they have been modernized in recent years, but still retain elements of privacy and protection from death duties. This is not so exceptional however, as very wealthy individuals who create a lot of employment in the country, negotiate special “sweetheart” deals with the Treasury to pay little tax. Swings and roundabouts, I guess.
By John on February 6th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Royalist, William is on a special secondment (if that’s the right word) with the RAF. He won’t emerge from this as a full flying officer. I doubt he’ll take part in the Passing Out Parade, as that would be unfair to other officers who have done the full training course.
So Kate won’t be polishing the buttons of her red coat for this one, I think.
By John on February 6th, 2008 at 9:15 am
If there were a passing out parade, I doubt Kate would recycle an outfit!!!
By Eliza on February 6th, 2008 at 10:44 am
The Passing Out Parade will probably be next January, by which time William will have finished his stint in the Royal Navy.
You’re right, Eliza, that red coat is too distinctive to be used again. If she did, people would say, what a cheapskate! If she doesn’t, they’ll think, how extravagant.
By John on February 6th, 2008 at 10:58 am
People in the spotlight can’t win either way when it comes to their wardrobe, for exactly the reason that you mentioned, John. It’s considered a faux pas to wear the same outfit twice but at the same time, people want to “tsk, tsk” about the money that is spent when a new ensemble is worn in public each time. Society has gotten pretty silly when it comes to such things.
Compared to most young women of her age, Kate’s attire is pretty conservative and tasteful. I, for one, appreciate that but much of the public (at least from comments that I read) thinks she is too stuffy, dowdy and buttoned up for her age. I’m firmly in her corner and wish that other young women would follow her lead and leave more to the imagination, as my mom used to say. Given what’s acceptable to wear to work these days, however, I think my views are in an ever-shrinking minority. So I say once again, “Vive la difference!”
By Melissa on February 6th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I too prefer Kate’s tasteful wardrobe to those of “supermodels” and footballers’ wives. As every businessperson knows, it’s always best to keep your assets under wraps.
By John on February 6th, 2008 at 1:25 pm