As Fergie turns 65 today, the Duchess’s biographer ANDREW LOWNIE reveals the ups and downs… through her birthdays

Today Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, turns 65 – an age when many retire and take a moment to reflect on their life. 

Those 65 years have taken her from a conventional upper middle-class childhood, through marriage and divorce to Prince Andrew, debt and public humiliation, to her present success as a businesswoman and charity worker with several grandchildren. 

Here, the Mail looks back at the duchess’s life through her birthdays gone by…

Sarah Margaret Ferguson was born to Ronald Ferguson, then serving in the Blues and Royals, but later a farmer, PR consultant and Prince Charles‘s polo manager, and Susan Wright, a granddaughter of the 8th Viscount Powerscourt. Her older sister Jane was born in 1957 and her mother miscarried a third daughter Sophie in 1971.

Just before her 13th birthday, Susan announced she was leaving her husband for the Argentinian polo player Hector Barrantes, which was to have a profound effect on the young Sarah. She would later attribute her insecurity, self-hatred and comfort eating to her mother leaving home.

The two girls were brought up by their father until, just after Sarah’s 17th birthday, Ronald married Sue Deptford, the daughter of a Norfolk farmer.

Just before her 13th birthday, Sarah’s mother, (above with Sarah and her sister Jane) announced she was leaving her father for the Argentinian polo player Hector Barrantes

Prince Andrew with the daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson, Sarah, at Ascot in 1985

By October 1986 Sarah Ferguson had become Sarah, Duchess of York, and was living in Buckingham Palace

The duchess celebrated her 30th birthday in Klosters with her husband, Prince Andrew

Sarah’s 21st birthday party was a cocktail party for 150 guests at the Berkeley Hotel. Her father had offered her a dance at the family home in Hampshire, but she preferred to have the money to finance a working holiday in North and South America, where her mother was then living.

In the summer of 1985, Sarah had been introduced to Prince Andrew through Princess Diana, and around the time of her 26th birthday she broke up with her live-in boyfriend, the millionaire Paddy McNally. By October 1986 she had married her prince and was living in Buckingham Palace.

Her 30th birthday was spent in Klosters. She was now the mother of a daughter, Beatrice, born in 1988 – a second daughter Eugenie would be born in 1990 – but many of the criticisms that were to bedevil her life were beginning to be made: she spent beyond her means, she took countless holidays and she did not always display the dignity expected from a member of the Royal Family.

By 1992 the royal couple had separated and Sarah’s 33rd birthday was marked by publication of a critical biography by the journalist Chris Hutchins, revealing her affairs with Steve Wyatt and John Bryan.

The following birthday she was in the Himalayas, where she had joined a disabled group climbing Everest for the charity MacIntyre Care. Her 35th birthday was notable for headlines that the royal couple were now heading for divorce. Her woes were compounded by the publication of an embarrassing memoir by her father.

In October 1995 the animated version of her children’s book Budgie the Helicopter was transmitted on Fox Children’s Network, marking the beginning of her financial renaissance. The following October it was dropped by the channel.

By 1992 the royal couple had separated and Sarah’s 33rd birthday was marked by publication of a critical biography by the journalist Chris Hutchins revealing her affairs with John Bryan (above) and Steve Wyatt

The following birthday she was in the Himalayas, where she had joined a disabled group climbing Everest for the charity MacIntyre Care

In October 1995 the animated version of her children’s book Budgie the Helicopter was transmitted on Fox Children’s Network, marking the beginning of her financial renaissance

By 1998 the royal couple were back under the same roof but Fergie was dating Gaddo Della Gherardesca while Andrew was dating Heather Mann

Sarah’s fortieth birthday celebrations were cancelled due to the death of her former flatmate, Carolyn Cotterell from skin cancer. Seen here with her friend at Wimbledon

In 1998, Andrew hosted a 39th birthday dinner for her at Sunninghill Park, a wedding gift from the Queen. The couple were now back under the same roof, much to the dismay of the rest of the Royal Family. The duchess was dating an Italian nobleman Gaddo Della Gherardesca, while Andrew was said to be romancing Heather Mann, a gems specialist at Christie’s.

Ferguson’s 40th birthday was marked by a series of press interviews and a portrait by Terry O’Neil, but her celebrations were cancelled after the death of her former flat mate ,Carolyn Cotterell, from skin cancer aged 43.

Ten years later, after abandoning a party for 300 at Royal Lodge because of her financial problems, she held a dinner for a dozen, including her then boyfriend Geir Frantzen, Andrew, Priscilla Presley and her daughter Lisa Marie, at the Lanesborough Hotel.

For her 60th Fergie revealed she had had extensive work to look younger than her sixty years including two facelifts, Botox and stem cell therapy

Fergie was seen dancing with Jenny Halpern at the Lady Garden Gala at Claridges the day after her sixtieth birthday in 2019

Her birthday was marred by the transmission of a Channel 4 programme, The Prince & the Paedophile revealing that Jeffrey Epstein had thirteen phone numbers for Andrew in his address book

Whilst Prince Andrew is no longer a working Royal Sarah appears financially solvent and increasingly popular, seen here on Loose Women this year

The following year it was a dinner for 26 at Royal Lodge where the guests included model Naomi Campbell whilst for her 55th birthday the Queen allowed her daughter-in-law, now four stone lighter, to have a party for 300 in the state apartments in Windsor, attended by Elton John, Robbie Wiliams, Richard Branson, Bernie Eccleston, Kate Moss and Stephen Fry.

For her 60th Ferguson held a pink champagne party at Royal Lodge for 100, attended by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, Ellie Goulding and Robbie Williams. She also revealed she had had extensive work to look younger than her sixty years, including two facelifts, Botox and stem cell therapy. The birthday was marred by the transmission a few days later of a Channel 4 programme The Prince & the Paedophile, revealing that Jeffey Epstein had 13 phone numbers for Andrew in his address book.

Whilst Andrew, no longer a working Royal, remains cocooned in Royal Lodge, his ex-wife and biggest supporter, appears financially solvent and increasingly popular – indicative of how the wheels of fortune sometimes spin.

Andrew Lownie’s joint biography of the Duke and Duchess of York will be published next year.