The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, had hundreds of thousands of pounds in debts cleared by the late Queen after living a life of 'opulent excess', according to a new explosive biography by historian Andrew Lownie.
The book, 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks', claims Ferguson spent wildly on staff, holidays, parties and flowers during her marriage to Prince Andrew, with little regard for settling bills. It alleges she was bailed out on several occasions, including a £500,000 payment in April 1994 when Coutts bank demanded the sum within 14 days.
Lownie's research, based on four years and hundreds of interviews, details Ferguson's debts exceeding £3.7 million by 1994. Despite failed business ventures, she reportedly believed there would always be 'a deal around the corner' to solve her problems. The book also claims she ran up huge credit bills at stores like Harrods, exploiting her royal status to avoid payment.
Further allegations include £14,000 in one month at a London wine merchant, luxury holidays to multiple destinations, and a £5,000 Concorde trip for her assistant to bring paperwork. A former lover revealed her annual expenditure was estimated at £860,000, including £300,000 on staff and £150,000 on gifts.
Buckingham Palace stated in 1996 after the Yorks' divorce that Ferguson's financial affairs were no longer the monarchy's concern.
