Sarah, Duchess of York is a passionate advocate for supporting everything from cancer charities to the vital work she does with her organisation, Sarah’s Trust. While she is also a devoted mother of two and grandmother of five, the Duchess has also carved out an impressive career as both a children’s author and a romantic novelist.
And this weekend she has two reasons to celebrate, as it is the anniversaries of the publishing dates of two of her most recent novels, A Most Intriguing Lady, which was published on August 2, 2022 and Her Heart for a Compass, which hit shelves a year earlier on August 3, 2021.
Largely inspired by her own family history, the Duchess’ two books were instant Sunday Times bestsellers and joined the ranks of the other 64 books she has penned.
The first book in the series, Her Heart For a Compass, follows the lives of Margaret and Mary Montagu Douglas Scott.
The description reads: “When one act of rebellion costs Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott her place in society, her life is swept onto a new course. One that will test her courage and resilience.
“From the drawing rooms of Victoria’s court to the grand country houses of Ireland, and the bustling streets of New York City; Margaret embarks on a journey of self-discovery where she will meet like-minded, and equally spirited, companions who shape her world.
“But as she navigates the challenges of forging her own path in life, will she find the greatest courage of all, to follow her heart against all odds…?”
Coming hot on the heels of the first book, the next novel in the series was titled A Most Intriguing Lady.
It is described as: “Wallflower Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott has a secret. Moving effortlessly unnoticed amongst the ballrooms and palaces of Queen Victoria, her sharp intelligence and keen powers of observation allow her to quietly solve society crimes – coming to the rescue of those whose pride and fortune are at stake.
“Overlooked and underestimated, Mary finds missing money, recovers stolen jewellery and saves reputations. When she meets Colonel Walter Trefusis, an unlikely and spirited alliance is formed. But Mary has more than met her match in her sleuthing partner. As she battles the expectations of society and her family, Mary must follow her heart – whatever the cost…”
The hotly anticipated third novel in the series, A Woman of Intrigue, was released to much fanfare on March 30, 2023.
Even though she has been a published author since the first of the Budgie the Little Helicopter books were published in 1989, the Duchess opened up about becoming a best-selling novelist in her sixties.
Speaking to SheKnows, Sarah said: “You start your career at 61, then you go to say, ‘Oh, I could write a novel,’ then you ask for help to write the novel, and then when you get to 63, you’ve already done the Sunday Times bestseller list. She added: “It’s pretty exciting to talk from a place of inspiration of starting a new career at 63. You’re never too old.”
The Duchess went on to explain how she discovered herself in the process of putting pen to paper. “People say you escape into the novel,” she explains. “Well, I am escaping out of myself; of the self-doubt, out of the self-judgment, of the self-sabotage.”
Explaining that she finally knows who she is, she explains: “I’m a novelist and I’m an author,” she says, “I write historical romances with a twist of super sleuthness – super sexy, sassy, super sleuthness. And what else? Oh, yes, and also saucy. We got some sauce going on.”