Fergie crisis reaches Downing Street

Richard Kay is reporting that the Queen and Prince Charles have referred the ongoing train wreck of Sarah, Duchess of York’s financial position to 10 Downing Street. He writes:
For weeks, they have watched the catastrophic unravelling of the Duchess of York’s life with a dispassionate dismay. But as stories of her mounting debts and legal liabilities show no sign of slowing, I understand Downing Street has been consulted.
According to well-placed sources, [Prime Minister] David Cameron has had discussions about the chaos surrounding the Duchess with representatives of the Queen and of Prince Charles. ‘It has simply become too big an issue to ignore,’ I am told.
While sympathetic, I understand the Prime Minister’s view is that the matter is one for the royals.
In May, it emerged that Fergie was struggling with £2million [$3m+] of debts after she was trapped by an undercover reporter, posing as a businessman, into asking for £500,000 in return for access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew.
Astonishingly, she is reported to owe £65,000 ($100,000) to her fitness instructor. Doesn’t it occur to her that it’s a vast sum to pay for what could be attained more simply: jogging and press-ups, for example?
She has now sacked her eleven-strong contingent of staff, who are all said to have been paid in full, presumably by her ever-loyal ex-husband.
A “senior figure” is quoted as saying, “There is a wider feeling within the Palace about the Duchess’s long-term situation. They can’t afford to cast her totally adrift, but at the same time they can hardly welcome her back into the bosom of the family. They all feel Andrew has been magnificent towards her over the years.”
David Cameron is believed to have been a good listener, but he can’t pay her debts out of public funds in a time of severe austerity.
In the meantime, Fergie has been on trips to the U.S., Italy and the Caribbean. In August she’s off on a holiday to Spain.
If you’ve never seen a walking disaster, the Duchess is your gal.


The Crown Estates, now generating £226 million annually for the Treasury, could partly be used to fund the Monarchy and its annual expenditure.



