Sarah Ferguson, former Duchess of York, became known for her extravagant spending habits, including a notable incident involving a fine for excess luggage during a first-class flight home from New York.
Shortly after marrying Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson was fined nearly £1,000 for carrying over fifty pieces of excess luggage. The collection included items worth an estimated £33,000 from her trip, highlighted by a £515 teddy bear she couldn’t technically fly home with.
“Not even Joan Collins has this much,”
a Heathrow baggage handler reportedly said at the time.
Her financial advisor, John Bryan, revealed that Sarah’s annual spending exceeded £860,000, covering £150,000 on gifts, £50,000 on flowers, and another £50,000 on parties. The palace did not disclose who covered her expenses.
Before her marriage, Sarah had a typical upper-class work history, including cleaning ski chalets and working at a publishing company. On the Swedish TV show Skavlan, she recalled various menial jobs:
Sarah Ferguson’s spending extravagance, from a costly teddy bear to excessive luggage fines, reflected a lifestyle far beyond typical norms, contrasted with her humble early jobs.