Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Duchess of York reflects on Harry and Meghan’s decisions with ‘no judgement’

Sarah said Diana, the Princess of Wales, would be ‘so very proud’ of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Ellie Iorizzo
Tuesday 14 March 2023 14:49 GMT
The Duchess of York (Gareth Fuller/PA)
The Duchess of York (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Archive)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Sarah, the Duchess of York, said she wouldn’t judge the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their decision to move to the US and publicise their lives.

The couple quit as senior working royals in 2020 in favour of more freedom and the ability to earn their own money in the US, before giving a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.

A controversial six-part Netflix series titled Harry & Meghan was released in December 2022 before Harry’s memoir titled Spare, which also contained a string of revelations, was published in January.

Sarah, who is affectionately known as Fergie, related her own experience of divorcing Andrew, the Duke of York in 1996 and giving an interview to Winfrey declaring that royal life was “not a fairy tale”.

She told the PA news agency: “I divorced, went to America, wrote a book, went on Oprah and did 12 years as the longest running spokesperson of Weight Watchers.

“I looked to America to support me and to help me and I really can’t thank the American people enough for what they gave me and what they did for me.

“So, I believe very strongly that I have absolutely no judgment on any other person’s life, and I look at how much she (Meghan) loves him (Harry) and loves the children and gives him a love that he’s never had before.

“That’s how I look at it.”

The charity founder and author, 63, also spoke about Harry and Meghan’s children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and Harry’s mum, Diana, the Princess of Wales, who died in August 1997.

She said: “The most important thing is that the sun will come up tomorrow and the day will move on.

“The most important thing is, Diana would be so very proud of Archie and Lili. She would have adored every moment of it.”

Sarah has most recently co-written her second historical romantic novel co-authored with Marguerite Kaye, who has written more than 50 Mills & Boon books, which will be published on March 30.

A Most Intriguing Lady is inspired by Sarah’s relative Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott, who in the fictional tale is born into the highest society, fighting to define her place in life.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in