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Sarah Ferguson appeared in a number of interviews in the USA recently, including The View, the Kelly Clarkson Show, and ABC News. The Duchess of York appears extremely media trained in these interviews and avoided all controversial topics.
A body language expert, Judi James, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about Fergie’s “surface persona” and how this may differ from the person she is behind closed doors.
Judi claimed: “With a book to promote and a career to keep nurturing, Fergie’s surface persona of a spontaneous, fun-loving woman with the knack of putting her foot in it, might seem something of a front or a public image behind a more business-minded woman with a keen eye for positive self-PR.
“Fergie’s main selling appeal in her US interviews is the way this royal Duchess seems to be amazingly real, accessible and down-to-earth.”
However, this “main selling appeal” can also make Sarah “quite vulnerable” according to Judi for a key reason.
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She explained: “Fergie appears desperate to be liked, which makes her seem quite vulnerable as she uses a tactile technique to make instant ‘friends’, touching her interviewers or other panel members on the arm to create strong bonds of instant rapport.”
Judi argues that this technique is extremely clever because it allows Sarah to take “control” of the situation at hand.
The expert added: “But in doing so, Fergie often quietly gets to control the whole show.
“Instead of sticking to her subject, she talks non-stop about other topics on the programme, offering her own views like one of the panellists.
“She leads the interview very skillfully so that it is a long time before the real questions start. Her past life as a royal is never understated.
“When the panellists ask about protocol with her, she rocks in her seat to suggest absolute delight even though she claims there is no need to bother.”
Judi commented that no matter what question Sarah was asked, she always managed to “lead around back into her book promotion”, showing the clever media training.
The expert opined: “The death of the Queen is a subject that she is able to lead around back into her book promotion.
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“She quotes the Queen as telling her to ‘keep writing’ and agrees that she now writes by royal command as a result.
“Referring to the Queen as ‘Mama’ and her ‘friend’, she relates how she would tell Her Majesty on their frequent long walks together that, ‘I have a new book out’.”
In these interviews, the Duchess provided insight into her close relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Judi suggested: “Fergie rubs her legs in a gesture of pleasure as she talks about the Queen.
“To illustrate and emphasise the alleged strength of their relationship, she even resorts to miming the Queen in conversation with her in a dramatic form of role-play.
“This often looks like an over-reveal, almost as though she is bringing her presence to the table.”
The body language expert claimed that Sarah may have used these interviews to “plant seeds for further publications”.
Judi explained: “Fergie even uses references to the Queen to plant seeds in what sounds like hints for further interviews and publications, noting that with the Queen passing on, ‘I can say openly what I want to say’ and be ‘Authentic Sarah’.”
