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Sarah Ferguson was expected to live on $20,000 in alimony annually. Could you?
I was as horrified as the next person when I first heard about Sarah Ferguson’s attempt to sell access to her former husband and father of her children, Britain’s Prince Andrew Duke of York. Then I found out Ferguson receives a mere $20,000 in alimony annually from her royal ex.
Let me repeat that again. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, former member of Britain’s royal family, is expected to get by on $20,000 a year. This is despite the fact that her ex-mother-in-law, Elizabeth II, is widely considered one of the richest women in the world, with an estimated personal net worth of about $400 million. If that’s not enough of a motive for Fergie’s sleazy attempt at salesmanship, I’m not sure what is.
A brief recap for those of you who haven’t heard the latest in the perils of the so-called Duchess of Pork: This past week, Britain’s News of the World tabloid revealed they’d run a sting on the poor Fergie, with an undercover journalist posing as a businessman willing to pay for the chance to meet Prince Andrew. With hidden cameras running, the former duchess agreed to arrange an encounter in exchange for a half a million pounds (that’s a little more than $700,000 on this side of the pond).
As far as I am concerned, the only lapse in judgment Ferguson is guilty of and should apologize for is agreeing to take a piss-poor alimony settlement in the first place. She did it, according to reports at the time, to preserve her relationship with the royal family and spare her children a bruising divorce battle. The late Princess Diana, who suffered from no such compunctions, managed to wrangle $20 million out of the blue blooded cheapskates.
Sarah Ferguson’s always had a bit of a bad rap. We warmed to virginal, bulimic, self-pitying Princess Diana, forgiving her many sins (including sanctimony) while Sarah was always seen as down market. She got around, as they say, both before and after marriage. She got a bit blowsy with age, like many of us, so much so that she ended up as a Weight Watchers spokeswoman. Clearly she’s had her share of money management problems (Just where did all the funds from the endorsement deal with Weight Watchers go anyway? And what about the Budgie the Helicopter bucks?) but then, who among us in the ever-profligate United States is really prepared to throw the first stone on that one?
In fact, I am hoping this entire escapade gives the ever-plucky Fergie a few new endorsement deals. The many organizations out there lobbying for women to take better care of their funds could definitely use a sexy spokeswoman like Sarah. She could even make joint appearances with Suze Orman. And perhaps she would like to demonstrate how one can live on $20,000 annually by signing a deal with Target or Wal-Mart?
As for the royals, they should consider themselves lucky Fergie didn’t attempt auction off meet-and-greets with the entire bloody lot of them. The next time the House of Windsor needs to negotiate a divorce settlement, they might want to remember you get what you pay for in this world.
Go Fergie!
What do you think?
Photo: Guitarstrummer56
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[...] As English Royalty, the Duke and Duchess of York are not a typical family. But, on the other hand, neither are they atypical in some ways. The Duke of York, aka Prince Andrew is not nearly as rich as his big brother, Prince Charles. Not being the first born son in royalty comes with obligations, but not as many of the financial perks. It’s almost as though they are expected to present a certain image and lifestyle that they cannot afford. He has lived in beautiful palaces at the favor of his mother, The Queen. His home is currently The Queen’s mother’s home which is now available because of her death. It is tougher these days for kids to live as well as their parents financially. Prince Andrew is not alone in needing assistance from his parents to live the lifestyle in which he grew up. Likewise, while there was a lump sum given to Sarah Ferguson in the divorce settlement to secure housing and trust funds for their children, her annual award from the courts for the divorce was based on Prince Andrew’s military job at the time of their divorce. Based on conversion of Euros to the American dollar, she gets approx. $18,500 per year. This is not enough for most single mothers to live on very comfortably. http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2010/05/24/sarah-ferguson-was-expected-to-live-on-20000-in-ali... [...]
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$20,000 – How cruel!
Baltimore Mom commented on May 24 10 at 10:02 pmI could live on 20K a year. It would be harder to support kids on that amount. I guess that amount is piddly if you expect to dress in designer clothes and have a driver and all those other luxuries. But sorry, no sympathy here.
mba commented on May 24 10 at 10:53 pmComments
a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I couldnt live on 20k with no kids. It’s ridiculous that the house of windsor screwed her that badly
Rosemary Hodges commented on May 25 10 at 1:24 amI agree that for Fergie to be given $20,000 in alimony is disgusting and wrong and can’t say as I blame her for getting back at them. At least Prince Andrew should have seen she got more than that if he had any kind of shall-we-say backbone. Even if she is mis-managing her money, it still makes no sense. They got what they deserve-more press that makes them look like idiots.
Anonimon commented on May 25 10 at 7:13 amShe been divorced for what? 15+ years? If you can’t rebuild your life and become self-sufficient over that amount of time, you don’t deserve sympathy. Maybe she did get screwed in the divorce settlement, but after this much time, she needs to stand on her own two feet.
PlumbLucky commented on May 25 10 at 8:32 amYeah, its a disgustingly low amount.
But, its been 15 years.
And I’ve supported myself on less than $20K annually, and that was my paycheck, not alimony monies.
jenny tries too hard commented on May 25 10 at 9:18 amIt’s much too low an amount considering that her life after being married to the Prince could never really be anonymous or normal. It’s not like she could go the same routes as many divorcees, realistically, while parenting princesses—security concerns (she’s still the princesses’ mother, after all) and media attention would’ve made it fairly impossible. But to be fair, it’s my understanding that she doesn’t have housing costs, living in some sort of royal lodge, still.
But, yeah, if she were normal, I’d have little sympathy for someone with 20K a year in alimony, and I’ve definitely lived on that, by myself.
Amy commented on May 25 10 at 10:16 am$20,000 a year – free money – for being married to someone 15 years ago that left me a house as well? Yep, sure could do it. I have done it (without the house part) while raising a child and going to school. Come on now, I agree with anonimon.
Suzanne commented on May 25 10 at 2:16 pmSorry, I’m not buying the pity.
She cheated on her husband, got caught, and in my opinion he owed her nada. The children were well taken care of, and not on her dime. Why can’t Fergie earn her own money, like everyone else? She has earned some, but spends far more. She needs to suck it up and put on her big girl britches like the rest of us.
Rosaleen Moran commented on May 26 10 at 8:02 amComments
I agree with the first letter posted by (Helaineo)100 percent. To the people who think that alimony of $20,000 was sufficient to keep a Royal home and raise two princesses I think you’ve been raised in the gutter, eating out of garbage cans. It was a cold and deliberate insult from Andrew to even ALLOW that lowly amount to be offered to her. I think Sarah has done her Royal duty: her children are raised. It’s time to walk away from the entire Royal family and live somewhere where she will be appreciated.
Meg commented on May 26 10 at 9:51 amSorry I don’t agree with most people’s view of what alimoney is – if I were to split with my husband, yes I’d expect financial help with the raising of our child but I’d not expect an annual payment forever more. Her ‘children’ are not 2 and 4 – they’re not even school age any more they’re 20 and 21 – why can’t she just get a job like a normal person! Part of the divorce settlement included trust funds for the girls anyway.
Yes, as a percentage of what her ex-Husband has it’s nothing but she should hold her head eye and just get on with it without stooping to such levels.
Yes, the methods used were cruel and embarrassing but she should be ashamed. She deserves little sympathy when you look at the lifestyle she has and yes, she was once a princess but that does not entitle her to have a better life than the rest of us.
Also – the Royal familys’s wealth is a tad confusing anyway as so much of it is tied up in her art collection which is held in trust for the nation and property.
leahsmom commented on May 26 10 at 12:49 pmI could do it – if only because I don’t count on alimony for support, and try to ensure that my income alone can meet the needs of my family. However, the reason I can do that is that I am a white woman whose family was able to support me and assist me in getting scholarships to good schools, and encourage me to achieve there so that I could obtain a high paying job – and also to raise me in the mores of the white-upper-class folks who provide those jobs, so that I could fit in at work. I certainly know that many women would like to be able to have a job that can support them and their children independently, and can’t obtain one, for a variety of reasons!
Kim commented on May 26 10 at 9:01 pmComments The definition of ALIMONY is “an allowance for support made under court order to a divorced person by the former spouse, usually the chief provider during the marriage.” That $20,000 (if it’s even true) is strictly for her, that has nothing to do w/ the children and their support which I’m sure they have been fully supported by the Royal Family. And I don’t know anyone that is still getting alimony 15 yrs. later. I feel no sympathy toward her at all, she ought to be ashamed of herself and I don’t know how she can look her daughters in the eyes. I hope they run her out of Britain and she doesn’t end up her looking like a celebrity!!
Lady H commented on May 26 10 at 10:26 pmShe could have got a much, much bigger settlement, but she willingly decided to take the lesser offer and did not sign a confidentiality agreement. She wrote two or three books on her life with the royal family that she would have been prohibited from writing. They sold quite well, made her a lot of money. But she went through that money. It’s similar to people who win one of the huge lotteries and chose the one time payday instead of installments, then wonder where all the cash went. It’s not really fair that she is using that now to try to make her actions look justified.
Francesca commented on May 31 10 at 5:46 amNot approving of Sarah’s current behavior nor her cheating on her husband, but just curious. Those of you who say you can live on $20,000. Where do you live. I am looking for an inexpensive place to move to from NYC so that I can live on $28,000 a year.
Kalvin commented on Jun 01 10 at 7:13 pmComments. Please don’t feel sorry for her. She has always had a fabulous place to live paid for by the taxpayers. She has made millions off being the “duchess of York “. How many times is she going to be forgiven by the royal family for the things she does to deliberatelly embarrass them . Maybe that’s how she can afford to walk around with a $6000.00 Hermes handbag
benj commented on Jun 07 10 at 3:38 amIs this for real? Many people make less than 20k/year and actually have to pay for their own housing and raise families on that. If you don’t have to pay for your housing 20k should be plenty. Its her own fault for putting herself in debt by living outside her means. I don’t feel sorry for this woman at all.
tallulahbankhead commented on Jun 16 10 at 12:30 pmIf she got a full time job to augment the $20000, Sarah could survive. No, she wouldn’t be living as a royal but thriving and doing something that would give her self-esteem and help shift her identity from former royal. As it stands, I expect this royal turned grifter to appear on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ because trading on her royal connections seems to be the only way she knows how to make money.
mervin commented on Apr 29 11 at 7:06 amThey deserve everything they got if that’s all she was paid. It’s not like you can go out and get a regular job after you’ve been a princess in the limelight.
Jade commented on May 06 11 at 11:42 amYes, she only got $20,000 a year from them but you know what, she could get a job to supplement her income like every other woman who is getting alimony does. Since when does alimony mean that you do not have to work ever again. Sarah Ferguson is a royal embarrassment.
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