The former Duchess of York is lying low after moving out of Royal Lodge in Windsor amid the ongoing scandal involving her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. She reportedly checked in at the world-renowned £13,000-a-day Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland earlier this year and is now planning a comeback to the UK. While we await her next move, we thought we’d take a dive into her past, looking at the home she grew up in pre-royal life.
Sarah’s childhood after the age of 10 was spent at Dummer Down Farm, in Basingstoke, Hampshire. An unearthed photo reveals it is a red-brick property with double chimneys, Georgian windows and a small lawn at the front. The white door features a small porch and climbing plants add to the aesthetically pleasing nature of this abode.
Sarah’s father, Ronald Ferguson, remained living at the property until he died in 2003. Now, according to her website, the estate is run by her half-brother Andrew. He shares insights into farm life on Instagram (see below).
As well as the house itself, there’s the working farm, a brewery, long-let cottages and a B&B cottage that’s listed on Airbnb. Plus, their business units house local companies like Dummer Cricket Centre, Henleys Solicitors and there’s even a café.
Sarah’s Hampshire roots
In 2021, Sarah campaigned for a cause in her childhood village to try to save the oak trees lining the road following plans to cut them down. Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, Sarah said: “My father taught me to love everything about the incredible world of nature, and particularly instilled a sense of awe at the magnificence and importance of trees in the landscape.
“I was at first heartbroken and then deeply angry to hear about plans to cut down the woodland corridor”
“I remember loving the oak trees in and around Dummer, where I grew up, including those that form an avenue on an old road into the village. These trees actually inspired one of my children’s books, The Enchanted Oak Tree, which is designed to pass on the magic of trees to the next generation. So I was at first heartbroken and then deeply angry to hear about plans to cut down the woodland corridor of 67 mature oaks in Dummer, to make way for an enormous warehouse.”
Sarah’s life at Royal Lodge
Sarah once described herself and Andrew as the “happiest divorced couple in the world” and she even moved back into Royal Lodge after their divorce. With a place that size, they could probably each have their own wings.
Despite it being her residence for many years, she previously admitted that she didn’t class the £30 million property as her “home”. In an interview with The Telegraph, she said: “When I’m in the UK I’m lucky enough to stay at Royal Lodge. I wouldn’t call it my home as that would be presumptuous,” she said.
© ShutterstockWhere will Sarah live now?
Now that Sarah has departed Royal Lodge, and her ex is settled on his brother’s Sandringham Estate, what does it mean for the former Duchess? She once owned a London property, but that’s since been sold last year.
A source told HELLO! last month that she would not be joining Andrew in his move to Norfolk. “She has stood by him all these years but is now ready to spread her wings.”
© Getty ImagesThey continued: “She won’t be moving in with him to the new house on the Sandringham Estate. She won’t be moving into Beatrice’s Cotswolds home though. Eugenie’s home in Portugal is a contender while she finds somewhere.”
Sarah also has connections to the UAE and that continues to be a possibility for the author and campaigner.
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