Sarah Ferguson’s hotly anticipated debut Mills & Boon novel hits the shelves today – and its flame-haired heroine is more than just a little familiar.
The book – Her Heart for a Compass – is a fictional account of the life of the Duchess of York’s great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott.
Set in the heart of the Victorian era, it sees 18-year-old Lady Margaret evoke the ire of her parents – the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, close friends of Queen Victoria – by rejecting the suitor they chose for her, Lord Rufus Ponsonby, the Earl of Killin, resulting in her being banished from polite society.
Lady Margaret, who hails from Dalkeith in Scotland and loves horses, then falls madly in love with a priest and, later, an older diplomat – an acquaintance of her father’s – before making a career for herself as a writer.
Sarah Ferguson’s hotly anticipated debut Mills & Boon novel hits the shelves today – and its flame-haired heroine is more than just a little familiar
The book – Her Heart for a Compass, left – is a fictional account of the life of the Duchess of York’s great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott (right)
Grounded in extensive historical research, it’s a story of duty, family, love, and a woman’s yearning for freedom and independence in a strict, controlling society.
The Duchess joined forces with her ‘collaborator and mentor’ Marguerite Kaye – who has written more than 50 novels for Mills & Boon set across the ages and her books and novellas have sold more than 1.5 million copies in over 20 countries.
Throughout Her Heart for a Compass, Lady Margaret’s growing confidence leads her to pursue a new life outside of the confines of her aristocratic family seat, and eventually follow her heart.
Fergie, 61, who has penned many bestselling children’s books and several works of non-fiction, said it’s a ‘dream come true’ to be a first-time novelist at the age of 61.
‘Lockdown gave me the time and space to tell a story that I have wanted to write for 15 years,’ she explained. ‘When like everyone else I was locked down with my family, it gave me the time to buckle down and write the book.
Fergie, 61, who has penned many bestselling children’s books and several works of non-fiction, said it’s a ‘dream come true’ to be a first-time novelist at the age of 61
Sarah added that the idea for the novel came to her when I was asked to do the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are? which set her off on a quest to look into the strong, creative Scottish and Irish women in her lineage
‘I think people will see the parallels between me and my heroine Lady Margaret – she’s a redhead, she’s strong willed and she’s led by her heart. She attracts the attention of the press and she makes a career in writing. But ultimately, this is a work of fiction and not an autobiography.
‘It’s a coming of age story charting the journey of a strong woman who strains against the confines of 1860s society, when women were so controlled. I think the challenges Margaret faces will resonate with today’s readers.’
Speaking on The One Show last night, the Duchess explained: ‘My middle name is Margaret and there are certain parallels between my life and this extraordinary, resilient, courageous, strong, red-headed Lady Margaret.
‘When I looked into the DNA of my own family, I found this lady that didn’t have a voice, a real life lady, Lady Margaret.
‘No one knew what she’d achieved, so I made it fiction, and of course it is fiction, but it is my grandmother and my family and it’s Scotland, London, Ireland, and then of course she did charity work in America.
‘And so of course there’s many experiences and experimenting with experiences that Lady Margaret does that I can speak of from my own experiences.’
Sarah added that the idea for the novel came to her when I was asked to do the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are?.
‘I didn’t end up going ahead with that, but it started me off on a quest to look into the strong, creative Scottish and Irish women in my lineage,’ she explained. ‘I became particularly fascinated with my great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott, and the story grew from there.
‘What struck me was how small a mark Margaret had made on the history of such an influential family – I could find out almost nothing about her. What kind of person was she? Why had she married so relatively late? She was more or less a blank canvas.
‘With real historical events and facts to hand, my imagination took over. I invented a history for her that incorporated real people and events. I was determined to bring her to life and to show that researching and telling the stories of strong women in history of vital importance.’
The parallels between the writer and her protagonist are indeed striking; in the book her heroine speaks of her loathing for endless formal occasions, and her wish to be able to let her rebellious red mop of hair ‘tumble wild and loose down her back’.
There are also numerous references to the press, with the character developing a dislike for the Illustrated London News – not dissimilar in its style to Lady Whistledown’s gossip-fuelled column in the Netflix drama Bridgerton.
‘Honestly, you would think they would have more important topics to write about than what gown I wore to what ball, who I danced with, and whether or not my dance card was full,’ Lady Margaret moans to her best friend Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s sixth child.
She later laments: ‘I am heartily sick of being the subject of press speculation.’
The Duchess previously told People magazine that ‘the world’s press has written about my mistakes’ when discussing how she advises her daughters to behave.
The parallels between the writer and her protagonist are indeed striking; in the book her heroine speaks of her loathing for endless formal occasions, and her wish to be able to let her rebellious’ red mop of hair ‘tumble wild and loose down her back’
Lady Margaret also appears to share the novelist’s trademark deep curtsies – performing one to the Prince of Wales during a social engagement – and her passion for telling children’s stories, which eventually leads to her writing her own.
Sarah has been reading children’s books throughout the pandemic on her YouTube channel, Storytime with Fergie and Friends.
The Duchess has dedicated her new book to her ‘beautiful girls’ Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, whom she said have ‘all the strength and courage of Lady Margaret’.
She wrote in the book’s foreword: ‘They too have followed their hearts and live life on their own terms. This book is for you, Beatrice and Eugenie, with all my love.’
The novel is not short of historical references; its opening scene is set at Montagu House, a late 17th-century mansion in Great Russell Street in the Bloomsbury district of London, which became the first home of the British Museum.
The Duchess has dedicated the book to her ‘beautiful girls’ Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, whom she said have ‘all the strength and courage of Lady Margaret’, her heroine
It also features real historical figures and events, offering a compelling look at Victorian England in the wake of Prince Albert’s death.
The novel sweeps the reader from the drawing rooms of Queen Victoria’s court and the grand country houses of Scotland and Ireland to the slums of London and the mercantile bustle of 1870s New York.
‘I have long held a passion for historical research and telling the stories of strong women in history through film and television,’ Sarah said. ‘I am proud to bring my personal brand of historical fiction to the publishing world.’
Sir Julian Fellowes, screenwriter of Gosford Park and creator of Downton Abbey, described Sarah’s book as a ‘tale of daring and determination, set against the glamorous heights, and the harsh restrictions of aristocratic society in the middle years of the British nineteenth century’.
Meanwhile Rosie Nixon, author of Just Between Friends and Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! Magazine, branded it a ‘deliciously evocative romp through high society life’.
Sarah has already secured a second book with Mills & Boon and publisher Harper Collins.
‘I’m so excited to be diving into this new story, once again with Marguerite Kaye as my co-author,’ she said. ‘I really feel this book marks a new phase of my life and a whole new chapter for me.
‘I’m ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of writing adult fiction, and to build on what I have learned when writing Her Heart for a Compass.
To promote her work, Sarah was pictured in a Victorian-style floor-length outfit, complete with high-necked blouse, jacket and gloves, sat on a stone bench gazing at a compass she held out in front of her
‘I can’t reveal too much about the new book at this point, but it will be another period drama, and will build on the world which I have created for this first book.’
To promote her work, Sarah was pictured in a Victorian-style floor-length outfit, complete with high-necked blouse, jacket and gloves, sat on a stone bench gazing at a compass she held out in front of her. Another shot showed her riding a horse wearing a top hat and matching period garb.
She also posed for a series of studio photos, donning a crisp white shirt with her red hair flowing in a style her heroine would have approved.
Mills & Boon – the UK’s number one publisher of romantic fiction – was established in 1908. Its books – which are written by women for women – range from historical romance to rom-com and erotica, and one is sold every 10 seconds in the UK.
Executive Publisher for Mills & Boon Lisa Milton commented: ‘Across TV, film and books, history continues to grow in popularity.
‘This brilliant sweeping story is perfect for our existing readers as well as reaching fans of bestselling novelists such as Philippa Gregory and Anne O’Brien.
‘Mills & Boon are honoured to publish the Duchess of York’s debut novel as we move into our next century of publishing brilliant books by women for women.’
Her Heart for a Compass, by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York (published by Mills & Boon, HarperCollins Publishers) is out on August 3 priced at £14.99 hardback, £6.99 on eBook and £14.49 on audiobook. To buy now click here.