Why Sarah Ferguson’s Divorce Settlement Was Minuscule Compared With Princess Diana’s

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew had one of the most controversial divorces in the British royal family. They split in 1992, and their divorce was finalized in 1996. However, unlike Princess Diana, the Duchess of York did not get much from Queen Elizabeth or from her husband.

There were reports that stated that Sarah walked away with millions after her split from Prince Andrew, but she claimed that she didn’t get anything. Later, she changed her statements and said that her divorce settlement provided her £15,000 a year. But what is the truth?

As per The Telegraph, the Duchess of York and her two daughters — Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice — received about £3 million as part of the settlement. It was said that Sarah’s claim that she was abandoned financially by the royal family upset the senior members of the royal family, but they didn’t say anything.

The truth is that Sarah received over £500,000 from Queen Elizabeth so that she can buy a new home. Her Majesty also gave her £1.4 million for her daughters’ trust fund and £350,000 cash, which she could use however she wants.

On top of these, the agreement also stated that Prince Andrew will shoulder his daughters’ school tuition. She and their children will also get a monthly allowance, and the amount was based on the Duke of York’s salary as a Royal Navy officer.

While this appears to be a good settlement, it was revealed that Princess Diana actually got more than what Sarah received from Queen Elizabeth. Reader’s Digest reported that London newspapers leaked the details about the Princess of Wales’s settlement, which allegedly amounted to £22.5 million. She was said to have received another £600,000 stipend to pay for her private office.

Princess Diana got more because she signed a confidentiality agreement, while Sarah refused. Without this kind of contract, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife is free to talk about her life when she was still part of the royal family. In fact, she was able to publish a few autobiographies, and she granted interviews, which allowed her to earn money.

If Sarah gave her consent to the confidentiality agreement, she could have left Buckingham Palace with more cash in her pockets. Queen Elizabeth could have given her as much as what Princess Diana received from her own divorce settlement, but she chose to talk. Now she’s reported to have more debts than money to spend. Her net worth as of 2018 is just $1 million.