The Duchess of York has spoken candidly about her childhood, describing her mother Susan Barrantes as 'a child herself' who struggled with motherhood. In an interview with The Times, Ferguson, 63, recalled the harsh language and discipline she endured from her parents, saying parents today would 'never dream of using the language' hers did.
Ferguson revealed that her father, Ronald Ferguson, would call her 'a sheep's a***', while her mother would hit her if she refused to eat semolina, claiming she needed to 'beat the devil out of me'. The duchess said her mother left the family when Ferguson was 14, eloping to Argentina with a professional polo player.
Reflecting on her mother's departure, Ferguson said she 'never truly understood why my mother left me' and that it took her a long time to deal with low self-esteem. She recalled leaving notes in her mother's dressing room begging her not to die in a car crash, which tragically happened in 1998 when Susan died in a head-on collision in Argentina.
Ferguson has previously described the late Queen Elizabeth II as 'more of a mother' to her than her own, calling her a 'mentor' who never faltered in her support. She also credited her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, for always believing in her.
Last week, the duchess spoke about suffering from binge-eating disorders as a child following her parents' divorce, exacerbated by media scrutiny of her weight. She said writing novels, including her latest 'A Most Intriguing Lady', provided solace.
