Tragedy as Sarah Ferguson pays poignant tribute to friend 'who had such a twinkle'

The Duchess of York remembered James Wentworth-Stanley, a household friend, who took his ain beingness days earlier Christmas aft being classed arsenic a debased precedence astatine A&E

The Duchess of York has paid a renewed tribute to a household person who took his ain beingness - arsenic the royal supports a mental health drive.

Sarah Ferguson, 65, remembered James Wentworth-Stanley, the lad of Clare Milford Haven, 1 of Sarah's "oldest and dearest" friends. The Spanish and concern studies pupil ended his beingness aft helium was classed arsenic a debased precedence astatine A&E, wherever helium waited a fewer hours earlier leaving.

Fergie opened astir connected the calamity this week successful an interrogation to people a intelligence wellness appeal, arsenic James' foundation continues to connection escaped attraction to men experiencing a suicidal crisis. She said: "He was truthful peculiar to maine and my girls and helium and I spent immoderate precise blessed times together, successful Argentina successful particular, wherever we shared a emotion of polo.

"He had specified a twinkle and an unthinkable consciousness of humour. Ten days aft a insignificant operation, James took his ain life. He had tried to get assistance for his anxiousness and suicidal thoughts but didn't find the urgent assistance helium truthful desperately needed."

James, 21, reported feeling suicidal pursuing a insignificant cognition but was classed arsenic a debased precedence astatine A&E. He took his ain beingness days later, connected December 15, 2006, a calamity which deed headlines astatine the time.

In The Times interrogation today, Sarah is quoted arsenic saying: "When James died, Clare was determined to acceptable up the foundation successful his representation and prevention different families from going done what hers had to. She is an incredibly inspiring woman."

Sarah is godmother to James' younger member Harry, portion Clare is godmother to Sarah's eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice. James, a pupil astatine Newcastle University, had known Beatrice and Princess Eugenie since they were young children.

The calamity rocked Sarah and her household but it spurred the Duchess of York connected to enactment intelligence wellness campaigns, including 1 The Times is running. The work has supported James' Place, the young man's legacy, a foundation which runs 3 suicide-prevention centres.

In 2023, the termination complaint successful England and Wales was astatine its highest since 1999. Men accounted for 75 per cent of these deaths. The fig of instances successful young adults was importantly higher than astir different demographics.

And Sarah worries for Beatrice, 36, and Eugenie, 34. The mum said: "You interest astir them each the time. I inactive bash now, erstwhile they're adults. I deliberation young radical contiguous person it harder than ever. Social media is simply a cesspit and it's precise frightening what young radical are exposed to."

But the engaged duchess, who inactive lives with Prince Andrew contempt their divorcement successful 1996, displayed her trademark effervescent cognition successful the past mates of years erstwhile she was diagnosed with 2 cancers. Fergie said, successful The Times piece, her "mind went to immoderate acheronian places, reflecting connected my ain mortality" during her crab journeys.

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