Sarah Ferguson hasn't always been so greedy, according to her biographer, who says that she turned down plenty of money offers over the years.
Sarah Ferguson hasn't always been so greedy, according to her biographer, who says that she turned down plenty of money offers over the years, including 3 million dollars from a Saudi prince she called 'Rubber Lips' who wanted to bed her.
Allan Starkie, the author of "Fergie: Her Secret Life" (1996), has come to the defence of Duchess of York, who was caught on film accepting 27,000 pounds in cash to fix access to her ex-husband Prince Andrew, Britain's trade envoy.
"A blue jeans manufacturer offered a million pounds [about 1.46 million dollars at today's rate] for the duchess to simply model a pair for publicity photos. A prominent American real estate developer promised her a free condominium on Central Park South . . . in return for permission to mention that she was a tenant," the New York Post quoted Starkie as saying.
Starkie recalls, "A West End theater suggested that she portray the wild Queen Boadicea, who had opposed the Romans, opposite Peter O'Toole in a limited engagement for a quarter of a million pounds. A clever East End businessman offered a pound per night for each occupant of his proposed 'Duchess of York Old Age Homes.' "
"Sarah had no real source of income. She insisted on hiring a retinue of servants that she felt was necessary to provide the right environment for her two daughters, who were, after all, princesses," Starkie added
When her debts approached 3 million pounds, "I introduced her to a member of the Saudi royal family who was willing to pay it off completely. I arranged for Sarah to visit him . . . he met her alone, clad in flowing robes and a lascivious grin," Starkie said.
"When he tried to kiss her, she fled home and quickly called me, referring to the fellow dismissively as 'Rubber Lips,' indicating that when those lips sprung forward and plastered themselves upon her mouth, 'it felt like extricating oneself from a suction cup' as she pulled free."
"Perhaps one does not think it is laudatory simply not to prostitute oneself, or to turn down offers that seem too pedestrian for royalty. But it remains that she did turn them down. She had limits," Starkie added.
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