Sarah Ferguson opens up on ‘Bad Fergie’ in interview about her new book and mental health

Sarah Ferguson has opened up about mental health, being a grandmother and her relationship with her daughters as she reflects on her past as 'Bad Fergie.' 

• Sarah Ferguson has opened up about her mental health in a new interview.
• The royal spoke about 'Bad Fergie' and her upcoming book that is about to be released.  
• In other royal news, the Queen’s hilarious response after Balmoral tourists fail to recognize her on country walk has been revealed.

In an interview with Hello!, Sarah, the Duchess of York, has spoken about the name 'Bad Fergie,' a nickname she was given by the press.

"I was very deeply scarred and insecure," Sarah said. "For a period of time, I had no idea who I was. I got married to the most wonderful man—it was the happiest day of my life, I adored getting married, and it was such a love story and he's such a good man. But then in about September 1988, it started to change."

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's second daughter Princess Eugenie was born in August 1988. The Princess was just six weeks old when her parents went on a royal tour of Australia without her.

This was a move that was highly criticized by the tabloids and began Sarah's difficult relationship with the British press.

"'Bad Fergie' sold a lot of papers, but the worst thing about that was I believed every word of it. So every time somebody said something nasty, I believed it, because I was so sensitive and insecure and so I couldn't come to terms with who this person was," said Sarah. 

She revealed that she's been in therapy for the last 24 years of her life. Meaning that she began therapy in 1997, just a year after she and Prince Andrew announced in 1996 that they had mutually decided to divorce.

The Duchess said, "I did have and still have mental health issues, which I work at literally every day, I really do, and I have been in therapy for 24 years."

"Sometimes I talk to my therapist on a weekly basis, and then sometimes, when it gets really tough, I jump in and get a quick hit of trying to understand the negativity of the demons of my mind."

"There are shadows, of course, for anyone that is as creative as I am. The shadow is very dark, because the light is very light. But that's the whole package of Sarah—and it's what made me write the book and talk to you today," she revealed.

She also opened up about her relationship with her daughters now and described them as a 'tripod.' 

She has dedicated her book to them with the message, "to my beautiful girls, who have all the strength and courage of Lady Margaret, and so much more, and who have not waited until they are 61 years old to follow their hearts and to live life on their own terms".

Her daughter, Princess Eugenie, is a mother to her young son August Philip, and her eldest Princess Beatrice is pregnant with her first child.

Sarah spoke about Eugenie's parenting skills saying, "baby August is phenomenal and he is a very strong little chap. But really, I'm very proud of my daughter Eugenie, and Jack because they are very good parents and for any new young parents out there, it's very challenging isn't it?"

She also talked about her relationship with her grandson, "My energy is what he seems to love, yeah because he just thinks I'm very funny."

And claimed motherhood was "the best job I'd ever done." She spoke also about Beatrice's pregnancy, referring to it as a dream, saying "I am the luckiest person."

Her Heart For a Compass is Sarah's newest novel written with Mills & Boon author Marguerite Kaye and based the protagonist of the book, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott, the Duchess's real-life great-great-aunt.

She also confirmed the romantic historical novel is not based on her own life, "I think everyone will see the parallels [with Lady Margaret]: she's a redhead, she makes her own way in life, she rides horses, she's headstrong."

"But ultimately this is a work of fiction: I hope people won't read too much into it. It has been an opportunity to tell a story of self-discovery and a chance to feel closer to my past."

The Duchess of York's book is set to be released on Tuesday 3rd August 2021.