Royal Family News: Sarah Ferguson’s Marriage To Prince Andrew Inspired Her New Romance Novel

British royal family news shows that Sarah Ferguson has a new historical romance novel out. She talked to ET’s Kevin Frazier all about her book and how it came to be.

According to Fergie, the idea to write a romance came to her while doing research for the 2009 film Young Victoria. She produced the film that starred Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend. “I was so immersed in the fabulousness of the history of that period that I then decided I was gonna write a novel,” she said.

Royal Family News – Sarah Ferguson Has Written A New Book

That novel turned into Her Heart for a Compass, a book that delves into the life of Lady Margaret. Her parents have a society marriage arranged for her but before the big public announcement, she takes off and her parents are aghast at the prospect of facing a ballroom full of VIPs.

This may remind you of Bridgerton but Fergie would like you to compare it to Jane Austen’s classic tale, Pride and Prejudice.

She says, “This character goes against the confines of 1870 where she was to be controlled by men — and a lady does not wish to be controlled by men.”

Royal Family News – Sarah Ferguson Has Grand Ambitions

Fergie admits that some of the background for her new novel came from her real life in the royal family. Fergie married Prince Andrew in 1986 and they divorced in 1996. The pair still share a home together.

She said, “I’m such a romantic. …I deeply believe in the romance of life … I’m a romantic at heart. I have lived every girl’s dream of marrying a prince.”

Beyond the broad outlines of the story, the character also has red hair like her. Fergie adds, “I think that when you are redhead, you’re deeply passionate about life and deeply in love with how intoxicating it can be. When you’re thrown into the public stage as a princess, you can’t get better than that.”

Royal Family News – Sarah Ferguson Has An Alter Ego

Her Heart for a Compass has made its long awaited debut and the author would love to write a whole series. “I’d like this to be a series because I think Lady Margaret could run and run. I think there could be lots of different books about Lady Margaret.”

“I think at 61 I have a much better understanding of the strength of my own voice — and that’s really pretty exciting,” she shares. “It’s taken me a long time to get to this voice which I’m really pleased about.”

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