'I really can't thank the American people enough for what they gave me and what they did for me,' the Duchess of York said. AP
'I really can't thank the American people enough for what they gave me and what they did for me,' the Duchess of York said. AP
'I really can't thank the American people enough for what they gave me and what they did for me,' the Duchess of York said. AP
'I really can't thank the American people enough for what they gave me and what they did for me,' the Duchess of York said. AP

Duchess of York: I won't judge Meghan


Simon Rushton
  • English
  • Arabic

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has said she will not judge Prince Harry and wife Meghan on their decision to move to the US and publicise their lives.

The duchess, who is often referred to as Fergie, said the US and its people helped her during her divorce from Prince Andrew.

“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,” she said.

The depth of the Duchess of York's relationship with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has raised questions in the past over different memories the two have shared.

Meghan has said that the Duchess of York taught her how to curtsy before she met Queen Elizabeth II for the first time. Sarah has said she does not “really know” and hasn't “really met” Meghan.

The Duchess of York, who is also an author and charity founder, was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 1996 and declared royal life was “not a fairy tale”.

“I divorced, went to America, wrote a book, went on Oprah and did 12 years as the longest-running spokesperson of Weight Watchers,” she said on Tuesday.

Spare was published after the Netflix documentary and Oprah interview. Photo: James Manning
Spare was published after the Netflix documentary and Oprah interview. Photo: James Manning

“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.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stopped being senior working royals in 2020. They were also interviewed by Winfrey in March 2021, when allegations of racism came to light.

A six-part Netflix series titled Harry & Meghan came out in December 2022 before the release of Prince Harry's memoir Spare, which also contained a string of revelations.

Sarah also spoke about Prince Harry and Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, as well as Prince Harry's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in August 1997.

  • The final part of Prince Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix documentary was released on Thursday morning. Photo: Netflix
    The final part of Prince Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix documentary was released on Thursday morning. Photo: Netflix
  • The Sussexes’ six-part show has become the streaming giant’s most-watched documentary in a premiere week. Photo: Netflix
    The Sussexes’ six-part show has become the streaming giant’s most-watched documentary in a premiere week. Photo: Netflix
  • The Harry & Meghan documentary is a six-part series on Netflix. PA
    The Harry & Meghan documentary is a six-part series on Netflix. PA
  • The documentary, billed as 'unprecedented and in-depth', is being broadcast exactly three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. PA
    The documentary, billed as 'unprecedented and in-depth', is being broadcast exactly three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. PA
  • The duchess appears with a towel wrapped around her hair, appearing to speak into her phone camera, saying: 'H is in London and I’m here.' Photo: Netflix
    The duchess appears with a towel wrapped around her hair, appearing to speak into her phone camera, saying: 'H is in London and I’m here.' Photo: Netflix
  • Office workers in London watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's controversial documentary. PA
    Office workers in London watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's controversial documentary. PA
  • A woman in London watches the docuseries. AFP
    A woman in London watches the docuseries. AFP
  • The couple discuss racism and the breakdown of their parents' marriages during the series. PA
    The couple discuss racism and the breakdown of their parents' marriages during the series. PA
  • The six-part series was available to watch from 8am UK time. PA
    The six-part series was available to watch from 8am UK time. PA
  • New images of Prince Harry and Meghan released by Netflix ahead of the show. AFP
    New images of Prince Harry and Meghan released by Netflix ahead of the show. AFP
  • Netflix showed the first trailer last week, just as Prince Harry's brother William made his first trip to the US as Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, prompting accusations of sabotage. AP
    Netflix showed the first trailer last week, just as Prince Harry's brother William made his first trip to the US as Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, prompting accusations of sabotage. AP
  • 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. Photo: Netflix
    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. Photo: Netflix

“The most important thing is that the sun will come up tomorrow and the day will move on,” she said. “Diana would be so very proud of Archie and Lili. She would have adored every moment of it.”

The Duchess of York has most recently co-written her second historical romance novel with Marguerite Kaye, who has written more than 50 Mills & Boon books.

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.

THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”

Favourite TV programme: the news

Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”

Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Updated: March 14, 2023, 5:29 PM