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Sarah Ferguson’s mother Susan Barrantes did not hold back on sharing her thoughts on what exactly her ex son in law, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, ‘lacks’

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It’s been a humiliating year for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the Royal formerly known as Prince Andrew. But now matters have taken another turn, with comments made by his ex mother in law shedding light on what he ‘lacks’. On July 23, 1986, thousands took to the streets outside Buckingham Palace to see the newly married Duke and Duchess of York step out onto that famous balcony.

Initially, it seemed a fitting match. Sarah Ferguson, affectionately known as ‘Fergie’ to Royal watchers was regarded as a vivacious red head full of fun. Andrew, often cited as the favourite son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was also seen as fond of a good time, nicknamed ‘Randy Andy’ in the press on account of his colourful love life. However, almost forty years after Andrew and Sarah exchanged vows at Westminister Abbey, their marriage and reputations lie in tatters, as do the royal titles so solemnly bestowed upon them on that hopeful summer’s day. So where did it all go so catastrophically wrong?

READ MORE: Sarah Ferguson ‘devastated’ and ‘virtual recluse’ as major career move tipped

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In his recently published book, ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’, which hit shelves back in August, author Andrew Lownie draws from accounts of those who know the Yorks personally, including the words of Fergie’s late mother, Susan Barrantes.

Susan, who sadly died in a car crash in September 1998 at the age of 61, didn’t hold back on her thoughts on her ex son in law during a candid interview with Italian magazine Gente. Speaking plainly, Susan, who courted scandal herself after eloping with an Argentinian polo player remarked that if only Andrew had “character”, he and Sarah perhaps “wouldn’t have broken up”.

Debutante turned documentary maker Susan reflected: “He’s a good-looking boy and has a heart of gold to the point where he would be without any money himself to help someone, but he just hasn’t got any character… absolutely none. If only he had character, perhaps his marriage wouldn’t have broken up.”

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Andrew and Sarah, who share daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. They have remained on unusually close terms in the decades since, even living together at Royal Lodge on Windsor Great Park.

However, the apparent post-marital bliss they once enjoyed has this year exploded. In light of ongoing controversies surrounding the pair, they have now relinquished their titles and honours, and are being kicked out of the 30-room Royal Lodge, where they’ve lived since 2004. This comes amid fierce public criticism over Andrew’s friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which has long cast a shadow over palace life. Andrew, 65, has repeatedly denied accusations that he had sex with Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old, and has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Sarah too has come under fire in recent months after emails between herself and Epstein came to light in which she referred to the sex offender as her “supreme friend” – after previously saying she’d cut links.

In a March 2011 interview with the Evening Standard, Sarah, 66, claimed she had distanced herself from Epstein, who died in 2019, and apologised for accepting £15,000 from him. The grandmother told the publication: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite, I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

However in an email dated April 26 2011, which was published by The Sun back in September, Sarah took a notably different tone. Sarah told Epstein: “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”

She continued: “I am apologising to you today for not replying to your email or reaching out to you. I was bedridden with fear. I was paralysed. I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you. And if I did – I would cause more problems to you, the Duke and myself. I was broken and lost. So please understand. I didn’t want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry.”

In response to this correspondence coming to light, Sarah’s spokesperson issued a statement explaining the email had been sent “in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats”.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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Loose Women panellist Coleen Nolan admitted she feared the worst when her then-fiancé made the comment, before the couple ultimately decided to put themselves first

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Loose Women star Coleen Nolan has revealed why her wedding plans took a last-minute U-turn when she married Shane Richie. The presenter tied the knot with the EastEnders actor back in 1990, before the pair called it quits nine years later.

Speaking on the latest episode of Loose Women’s Just Between Us podcast, Coleen and fellow panellist Jane Moore offered advice to listeners facing wedding dilemmas.

Having been married twice before, Coleen warned couples to be prepared to “upset” loved ones when making decisions about their big day, but urged them to stand their ground.

Reflecting on her first wedding, the 60-year-old explained that she and Shane ultimately decided to elope after becoming overwhelmed by other people’s opinions.

After sharing her thoughts on a listener’s bridesmaids dilemma, Coleen said: “Did I have bridesmaids? No – not with Shane, because we eloped. We didn’t tell anyone.

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“And the reason we eloped was because we had a big wedding planned, I had my dress and everything, everything was organised and it was huge, but the only people who weren’t asked about any of it were me and Shane.

“My parents took over and his side of the family took over.”

Recalling the moment that proved to be the final straw for the couple, she continued: “My mum said to me one day, ‘You can’t have this person there because auntie Mary – who used to bounce you on her lap when you were 18 months – has to come because she’s a relative’.

“But the girl who was my best friend growing up could only come to the evening? I was like, ‘What the hell?'”

After growing frustrated, Shane suggested a different approach. “I remember he said, ‘I can’t do this’ and of course I thought he meant the whole thing, ‘I don’t want to get married’,” she recalled.

“And he was like, ‘No, I want to get married, I just don’t want to do it like this’.”

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The couple then secretly went ahead with their plan to elope by telling family they were heading to Florida on holiday.

“[We] came back and told them,” she added. “And then we had a blessing about three years later.”

Coleen and Shane share two sons together, Shane Nolan and Jake Roche, while the Loose Women star also has a daughter, named Ciara, with her second husband Ray Fensome.

The former couple married in 2007 but split a decade later, with Coleen admitting she had “[fought] with every fibre of her being” to make the marriage work.

Coleen recently confirmed she is single, following her split from supermarket logistics worker Michael, who she met on Tinder in 2021.

Announcing the news in December last year, she told OK! Magazine: “We’ve decided that we would rather just stay friends, take it as a friendship. And, you know, it’s nothing to do with anyone else, it’s nobody’s fault.