Fergie fined for excessive luggage and lavish spending
Known for her extravagant lifestyle, Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, once faced a remarkable penalty for overindulgence during her travels.
A costly flight from New York
Shortly after marrying Prince Andrew, Fergie was fined nearly £1,000 for exceeding luggage limits on a first-class flight from New York. She had packed more than fifty pieces of baggage containing around £33,000 worth of goods acquired during her trip, including a teddy bear that cost £515.
“Not even Joan Collins has this much,”
recalled a Heathrow baggage handler, astonished by the amount of luggage she carried.
Mounting expenses and lavish habits
The palace offered no comment on who covered the cost of Sarah’s travel expenses. Her financial advisor, John Bryan, later discovered her annual spending had surpassed £860,000, which included £150,000 on gifts, £50,000 on flowers, and another £50,000 on parties.
Early work and television confession
Before her royal marriage, Sarah had a typical upper-class upbringing and a modest work history, including jobs cleaning ski chalets and working for a publishing house. During an appearance on the Swedish television show Skavlan, she reflected on her early life, sharing:
“I cleaned lavatories when I was 18 and graduates' bedrooms; they all left it very messy. And then the waitress in a strudel house.”
Author’s Summary
Sparked by wealth and extravagance, Fergie’s story highlights how lavish habits clashed with royal expectations and led to public scrutiny over her financial choices.