Sarah Ferguson Sets the Record Straight on Camilla's Alleged ‘Snub’ Amid Title Loss
Queen Camilla has built her reputation as the Palace’s resident bibliophile, famously launching the Queen’s Reading Room back in 2021, a curated corner of literary delights where she handpicks her favorites and dishes out book recommendations to the masses. The seemingly innocent hobby, however, isn't without controversy. When family members pen novels and, mysteriously, those tomes never make it onto Camilla’s celebrated list, rumors are bound to grow. The author in question here is none other than the infamous Sarah Fergusson. As per reports, the now former Duchess-turned-author’s apparent outreach to Her Majesty about a literary collaboration had been quietly but firmly 'rebuffed' amidst her title drama.
It has been a bruising few weeks for the Yorks. Prince Andrew, stripped of his Duke of York title amid the lingering Epstein fallout, has seen the tectonic plates of his royal relevance shift once again. Amid this drama, according to royal columnist Ephraim Hardcastle, Ferguson, described as "quite the lady of letters," had allegedly floated the idea of a joint project with Camilla linked to her upcoming children’s book, Flora and Fern: Kindness Along The Way. “Before being sacked as a Duchess, Sarah Ferguson suffered a monumental snub from Queen Camilla,” Hardcastle claimed.
He noted that none of Fergie’s literary pieces ever made it to the Queen’s Reading Room.“With the imminent release of her latest, Flora and Fern, Fergie suggested a collaboration between her and Queen Camilla,” Hardcastle wrote. “Her proposal was firmly rebuffed.”
Still, Team Fergie insists the story has been somewhat creatively embellished. A spokesperson for Ferguson dismissed talk of a 'snub' or a snuffed-out partnership, clarifying to The Mirror that “no such proposal was ever made.” That calm rebuttal did little to quiet the chatter, though; it’s rare for Palace denials to completely erase the spectacle of drama once the curtain’s been raised.
It’s worth noting that Ferguson, who has tried to sell everything from diapers to food blenders, has, however, over time, carved a legitimate niche in publishing. The mother of two has authored both romantic novels and children’s stories, championing several themes across the board long before her latest controversy. Flora and Fern: Kindness Along The Way, her next release, is a picture book centered on community and compassion, two virtues that, one imagines, could mend more than a few royal rifts.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Windsor’s literary aisle, Camilla remains steadfast in her mission to spread the joy of reading. Through her popular Reading Room platform, the Queen has often spoken about how literature has 'enriched' her life since childhood, calling books a source of 'inspiration and education.' Her words: “I hope we can foster in adults and children alike a lifelong love of literature and connect more people with that special magic that can only be found in the leaves of a book,” are a reflection of her passion for the world of words.