What on earth was Fergie thinking of? The once so popular Duchess of York who unfortunately came crashing down to earth following a ‘toe-sucking’ incident is yet again on the front pages for all the wrong reasons — selling introductions to her husband, the Duke of York, of all things. Getting to meet Prince Andrew didn’t come cheap either as Fergie wanted no less than $40,000 cash for the privilege — which it appears she succeeded in getting too from the tabloid journalist who carried out the ‘sting’ operation. (We’re still awaiting details on whether she actually handed the cash back ).
Of course there are many here in Éire who have no time whatsoever for the British royal family and absolutely revel in any tittle-tattle that makes a mockery of them all. Still, surely some pity must be reserved for Sarah Ferguson, whose life and person has been under constant public attack ever since she walked up the aisle to marry into the royal family. Apart from the never-ending personal assaults regarding her weight she has also unsuccessfully relaunched herself as so many different personas following her divorce from Prince Andrew that even those who don’t follow her career can sense an identity crisis. From being a one-time children’s author, ambassador for various charities, and a representative for Weight Watchers in America, she is now redundant with no particular role open to her other than being a mother to two adult children. As someone still hankering after the standard of royal living she one time enjoyed, this situation is clearly intolerable. Hence, Fergie’s apology following her exposure at the weekend when she revealed she did it for the money because she is broke, rang as somewhat tragic.
Interestingly a recent BBC documentary on the subject of divorce featured another woman with two adult daughters who had also grown accustomed to the high life thanks to her husband’s wealth. Following the break-up of their marriage and his declaration as a bankrupt, she strangely agreed to be filmed chasing after him for the cash she was adamant he had secreted away somewhere — a large chunk of which she was claiming enitlement to. The woman in question put so much effort into running harem scarem between court houses and lawyers’ offices attempting to nail down the money and bemoaning how difficult it was to try and maintain the superior standard of living she and her daughters had enjoyed, that it became perfectly obvious what she really should be doing to secure her future. Get a job! She certainly had the energy for one. Where does this idea of entitlement to enjoy half of an ex-partner’s wealth for ever more come from exactly?
On the home front the news stories haven’t been great either this week and surely the ploy to force parents to pay for our so-called ‘free education’ through the proposed €500 school bus annual charge, is a step too far. Just in case the roads in Ireland aren’t sufficiently clogged up, this latest move should only add to the logjam come next September when a record 500,000 primary pupils are due to start the new school term, as parents left, right, and centre decide to ferry the children to school themselves.
Meanwhile, the state of the main road in Newport is exercising minds as the pot-hole strewn main street that came to light after the winter cold spell is now a melting pot of soft tarmacadam that is being moulded and remoulded into various bumpy shapes according to the strength of the sun’s rays. Watch your step!
