Sarah Ferguson is set to launch Mills & Boon’s historical romance book club

Sarah Ferguson is to launch a Historical Romance Book Club with publisher Mills & Boon – and has insisted she’ll be ‘promoting women’s literature as females lives are often overlooked’.

The Duchess of York, 62, based in Windsor with her ex the Duke of York, released her first fictional historical romance novel, titled Her Heart For A Compass, with the publisher in August.

The book, which draws on Sarah’s own life journey and incorporates research into her ancestry, is a fictional account of the life of the duchess’s great-great-aunt Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas-Scott.

It was co-written with Marguerite Kaye, who has written more than 50 historical romances set in a variety of eras.

Sarah Ferguson (pictured) is to launch a Historical Romance Book Club with publisher Mills & Boon – and has insisted she’ll be ‘promoting women’s literature as females lives are often overlooked’

The duchess said: ‘I am so excited to launch a historical romance book club with my publisher Mills & Boon.

‘Like them, I’m passionate about telling women’s stories, giving those who have been silenced a voice and promoting women’s literature.

‘Too often, women’s lives can be overlooked by history. In my debut novel Her Heart For A Compass, I brought one such woman – my great-great aunt Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas-Scott – to life.

‘Now I want to celebrate other authors who are telling women’s stories. I hope that the book club readers will be entertained, enlightened and empowered by the novels that we are going to read together.’

Announcing the news on Twitter, the duchess added that she is ‘thrilled’ to be working with Mills & Boon, and praised the publisher for its ‘extraordinary’ storytelling over its more than 100-year-history.

The Duchess of York (pictured), 62, based in Windsor with her ex the Duke of York, released her first fictional historical romance novel, titled Her Heart For A Compass, with the publisher in August

The Duchess of York (pictured), 62, based in Windsor with her ex the Duke of York, released her first fictional historical romance novel, titled Her Heart For A Compass, with the publisher in August

Encouraging her followers to join the book club, Sarah explained there will be a reading and discussion of a new historical romance every month – which she said will add some light relief after the pandemic.

She is due to publish her second historical romance novel, which will again be co-written with Kaye, in 2022.

It will ‘build on the world of Her Heart for a Compass’, Mills & Boon said.

The book, which draws on Sarah's own life journey and incorporates research into her ancestry, is a fictional account of the life of the duchess's great-great-aunt Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas-Scott

The book, which draws on Sarah’s own life journey and incorporates research into her ancestry, is a fictional account of the life of the duchess’s great-great-aunt Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas-Scott

The book club, due to launch on November 5, will see the duchess select one Mills & Boon historical romance title each month.

She will announce the selection on her social media platforms and provide details of the book throughout the month to encourage her followers to read along individually or with their own book club.

The duchess, who has a life-long passion for historical research and telling the stories of strong women in history, will then share her thoughts on the book choice at the end of the month.

Publisher Mills & Boon said: ‘Sarah, Duchess of York is an authority in historical research and in telling the stories of women’s lives.

‘The success of Her Heart For A Compass, co-written with Marguerite Kaye, proves her passion and expertise in historical romance.

‘We’re delighted to partner with her on this book club and know it will bring new readers to the novels and writers that the duchess has selected’.

Her Heart For A Compass reached the top 10 on the Sunday Times bestseller list, but failed to hit the spot with some reviewers. 

Sarah follows in the footsteps of the Duchess of Cornwall, who earlier this year set up her own book club, The Reading Room.

Yesterday, Princess Eugenie congratulated her mother after the Duchess (pictured) won her battle to save historic trees in the Hampshire countryside

Yesterday, Princess Eugenie congratulated her mother after the Duchess (pictured) won her battle to save historic trees in the Hampshire countryside

The Duchess of York, 61, shared an Instagram post yesterday celebrating her win to save dozens of 130-year-old trees in ancient woodland close to her childhood home which were due to be felled to make way for an enormous warehouse. Pictured, Eugenie's post

The Duchess of York, 61, shared an Instagram post yesterday celebrating her win to save dozens of 130-year-old trees in ancient woodland close to her childhood home which were due to be felled to make way for an enormous warehouse. Pictured, Eugenie’s post

Yesterday, Princess Eugenie congratulated her mother after the Duchess won her battle to save historic trees in the Hampshire countryside.

The Duchess of York, 61, shared an Instagram post yesterday celebrating her win to save dozens of 130-year-old trees in ancient woodland close to her childhood home which were due to be felled to make way for an enormous warehouse.

Under the proposals – which had previously been given the green light – a beautiful part of the Hampshire countryside would have been ‘brutally chopped down’ for a 220,000 square metre distribution hub, thought to be used by Amazon. 

But the local council has now U-turned on its original decision after Fergie gave an impassioned plea to save the trees and 100,000 locals signed a petition opposing the plans.

In an emotional Instagram post, Fergie wrote: ‘ We won! On the eve of the COP26 summit, this shows how local democracy can work and protect our precious natural environment. Developers may yet appeal but today we can celebrate.’

Meanwhile her youngest daughter Eugenie reshared her post on Instagram last night about her mother’s work, writing: ‘Well done Mumma!’