Fergie’s bid to sell access to father of her own children is unforgiveable

WHAT is termed an apparent lapse of judgment by Sarah, Duchess of York, is in fact far worse than that.

If everything reported is true, then it is the unforgivable sin of selling access not simply to a minor member of the royal family, but to the father of her own children. It is a disgraceful exhibition of sleazy corruption.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is a voluntary special representative for the British government’s trade and investment agency.

His expenses are paid and he receives an allowance from his mother’s private purse. He has no money of his own, but he keeps within his budget.

His divorced wife obviously does not.

She was not brought up to be either wealthy or titled but was the daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson who, although from a well connected family, was merely a polo manager to the royals.

There is, of course, no constitutional implication either for Britain or for Australia.

Our Australian constitution mentions only the queen and the heir to the throne.

We do not have a royal family as such. What this woman has done, however, is to bring embarrassment upon her husband, her children and the queen.

As the divorced wife of the duke, she has only the right to call herself by the courtesy title Sarah, Duchess of York.

The only position she has within the royal family is as the mother of the queen’s grandchildren.

This episode does show us how easy it can be for those around a president to corruptly control access.

Under our constitutional monarchy, no one individual has total power because such power is distributed along each rung of our system which provides checks and balances one upon the other. We are still waiting for republicans to come up with a proposal that equals the same checks and balances that we in Australia enjoy under our constitution.

Philip Benwell MBE

National Chair

Australian Monarchist League

PO Box A1213

South Sydney NSW 1235

Australia