Sarah Ferguson chose an interesting pair of shoes for her first public outing since navigating headlines surrounding her and ex-husband Prince Andrew.
As excerpts continue to emerge from Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by Andrew Lownie, the Duchess of York carried out a public engagement in London, where she signed copies of her semi-fictional novel, Her Heart for a Compass.
On August 6, Fergie shared photos from the event on Instagram, writing: "Her Heart for a Compass was always meant to be a bridge between hearts, stories and generations. Being able to sign copies and speak with these incredible creators brought me right back to why I wrote it in the first place."
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Sarah Ferguson wears ‘Never Complain, Never Explain’ shoes as fresh claims emerge
|INSTAGRAM VIA SARAH FERGUSON / GETTY
The event was hosted in collaboration with the Amazon Influencer Program, which posted a video the following day showing the Duchess at an afternoon tea.
In the clip, Sarah is described as having "welcomed our Creators to Britain and gifted her best-selling novel."
But it was her outfit that drew particular attention. Fergie stepped out wearing custom loafers featuring the Royal Family's well-known unofficial motto: "Never complain, never explain."
One shoe read “Never Complain,” while the other bore “Never Explain.”
Sarah Ferguson released Her Heart for a Compass in 2021 | INSTAGRAM / SARAH FERGUSONThe Duchess has owned the shoes for years and previously wore them during a London outing in 2022.
The phrase — associated with Queen Elizabeth II’s famously stoic approach — has often been interpreted as the royals’ way of handling media scrutiny with quiet dignity.
The Royal Family frequently use fashion to send a message that they cannot say out loud, and this is likely a perfect example of that.
Fergie’s footwear choice comes as both she and Prince Andrew, 65, return to the spotlight due to Lownie’s upcoming biography, which will be released on August 14.
The Duchess has also been expanding her reach into the influencer and publishing worlds | INSTAGRAM / SARAH FERGUSONLATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Sarah Ferguson promotes book as Prince Andrew and Duchess of York face scrutiny | INSTAGRAM / SARAH FERGUSONExcerpts from the book have included personal revelations about the Duchess's alleged crushes on celebrities such as John F. Kennedy Jr.
In addition, claims were made of a physical altercation between Prince Andrew and his nephew Prince Harry — an allegation denied by the Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson.
Both Sarah's representatives and the Duke of York's team have refused to comment on Lownie's allegations.
Although they officially divorced in 1996, the Duke and Duchess of York still reside together at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
The pair were seen together publicly on August 3, driving near their Windsor home, their first joint appearance since excerpts from the biography began to circulate.