She's frequently complained about the 'grey men' at the Palace who essentially destroyed both her confidence and her marriage. Now, Sarah, Duchess of York has suffered huge indignity during an appearance she made in New York with Prince Andrew.
According to the Daily Mail's Richard Kay, the Duchess was publicly humiliated at an event honouring the victims of 9/11 in Manhatten last Monday.
It had long been revealed that the Duchess, who was in New York at the time the World Trade Centre was hit by the first plane, would be accompanying her ex-husband to events marking the 5th anniversary of the terrorist atrocities.
However, even Sarah — aware of the sometimes overly officious protocol surrounding the senior members of the Royal Family — couldn't have forseen the humiliation awaiting her at a charity dinner in Manhattan to which she'd been invited by Andrew.
Arriving in the room side-by-side with the Queen's second son, Sarah suddenly found herself being ushered away from the top table to another far from the Prince. She was, in essence, placed with Andrew's staff, including his bodyguard, rather than the VIPs.
Says an eyewitness: "Sarah was blushing as she made her way back through the ballroom to a table some distance away. I really felt sorry for her."
A close friend tells Kay of Sarah's reaction, saying: "She was utterly humiliated. In front of 800 people, she had to walk from the top table to sit with Andrew’s staff and bodyguard. Even after all these years, it was very upsetting for her, the way she was led away in front of all those eyes."
The woman who was once amongst the highest in the land was "shocked and hurt" by the way in which she was treated, a friend recalling: "She had, after all, arrived with Andrew and, frankly, is much better known in New York than the Prince."
In fairness to Andrew, he appeared to try to rectify the situation, warmly acknowledging the presence of Sarah in his speech, resulting in applause from the audience. Richard Kay states that the Prince was unaware that his ex-wife was to be treated in this way.
A friend of the popular Duchess tells Kay: "The fact is, the Americans wanted her there because they actually know who she is, which is not the case with the Duke of York."
Is it any wonder Sarah has always appeared more than a little horrified at the concept of her once again joining the Royal Family by re-marrying the Prince?
Comment: Ok. If Protocol is truly followed here, and true, as a rep of the Monarch he gets the VIP table, BUT, as a man, knowing that he will be escorting Sarah to the event he should have insisted that she be seated on the front rows not back with the staff. This is true for all official events here in the US. I have attended several from bitsy to grand scale. The escort of the Guest of honor gets to sit at the front row. The entire situation is a faux pas to the Grey Suits. They should have investigated what is appropriate in each country. The applaud only confirmed the idiotic and bizarre way the situation was handled.
Name: contessa
Comment: ATTENTION VA......Yes you can have your cake and eat it too.....Look at charles prince of wales for the winner of that contest.
Name: Joseph McNeill
Comment: Whoever in the Royal Household staff arranged this disaster should be ashamed: that was no way to treat a Lady.
Name: Trudie
Comment: Excuse me Chris but is was stated well ahead of time that Sarah would be accompanying the Prince, therefore she should have been seated with him and not with his staff. This was not protocol this was a mean spirited attack on Sarah. If protocol was the issue Sarah would have known ahead of time and Andrew too that she would be seated at another table. You sound like an elitist are you actually a courtier?
Name: Va
Comment: I'm so glad that once and for all Fergie got the taste of it! She married her Prince Charming, divorced him, made her $$$ from the situation and now trying to climb back into the royal scene! you cant make yr cake and eat it too!!!
Name: Trudie
Comment: So what if Andrew tried to rectify the situation in his speech. That man has no backbone!!! He should have said the Duchess is with me and had a place at the table for her. I for once would love to see a member of the RF stand up to those courtiers who are nothing more than elitist snobs. Andrew learn from Japans Crown Prince who stood up the the IHA regarding his wife's treatment. No wonder your marriage did not work out.
Name: Melle
Comment: Hang on. Wasn't Prince Andrew there representing Her Majesty? If so, then protocol does not allow his "ex" to sit with him as she has no standing on behalf of the UK. She has no more reason to sit at the head table than I do. For all we know, she was listed with the other "free" tickets (ie: Prince Andrew's staff) and was seated accordingly.
If she wants to be treated like his wife, she should remarry him and do her duty. Not free-load and disgrace her ex-husband's family.
Don't get me wrong - I was a huge fan of Fergie (still have all the wedding clippings). But when she started to mouch, I lost interest.
Name: Karmen Day
Comment: It's disgusting how she could be treated in such a humiliating and disgracefull manner. The fact is that she IS better known and loved in the states and she was INVITED by Andrew! So for them to move her, not to mention IN FRONT OF GUESTS, is just horrible!!!
Name: Jacqueline
Comment: Poor Sarah...Diana was right, the "Men in Grey" have long memories and a mean streak a mile wide.
I would have said 'sorry, I'm sitting by my ex'...and let them try and save face..
Name: Exploora
Comment: Why do we wonder why Chelsey is having qualms, this situation gives new meaning to "being number two".
Name: Donovan
Comment: This is what is wrong with the House of Windsor. The attendees at the banquet showed clearly how they felt, by applauding Sarah.
Name: Kathy Gebhardt
Comment: **Richard Kay states that the Prince was unaware that his ex-wife was to be treated in this way.**
Why didn't he do something about it then.
Name: M-M
Comment: This seating plan at the top table should have been sorted before , but , having reached the point where Fergie clearly expected to be included along with her ex-husband - what was wrong with Andrew ? Politeness sould decree that he said to the organizers through his aide de camp 'please arrange this ' and they would either move someone else off the top table , or squeeze up and discreetly lay another place setting , not necessarily next to him . This sort of thing happened during his marriage too , a sort of sleep-walking attitude towards his wife's problems which left her open to any rebuffs .
Name: Maria McCreary
Comment: Bad call for Andrew too. He didn't realized that the breach of protocol hurt his reputation too as someone who cared a lot more for what the Grey Suits do than what is morally right and publicly correct here in the US.
Despite everything that has happened with Fergie, she is the mother of his children and thus deserves respect. She more than paid for her mistakes and more and I admire her for her strength. I give her credit for not making a fuss so as not humiliate Andrew. He's a lily livered man. TRUE!
Name: Kay McGill
Comment: Sarah should have sat with Andrew - this is the United States, not a state dinner in Britain!!! - it was the height of rudeness to separate them in that manner - I wouldn't blame the Duchess if she never returns here. Goodness, isn't this the reason we fought a war some 200 odd years ago?? Protocol does not mean inconsideration, rudeness, and snubbing. Why in the world would you even sit her with staff??!!!!
Name: Jean Sue Libkind
Comment: I don't know who ordered this seating arrangement but it is clear they do not understand the underlying precepts of protocol: to be polite and not embarrass anyone. There is no excuse for this rudeness; if they were determined that she sit elsewhere, it should have been made clear from the start to avoid the walk back.
"If you had spent your life in a warship you would not know about taste"
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's response to a snob who questioned her grandson Prince Andrew's taste due to the supermarket style design of his Sunninghill home
