The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, has lived her life both in and out of the spotlight. Ferguson was born in October 1959 in London to Major Ronald Ferguson and Susan Barrantes. The author went on to finish a course at Queen's Secretarial College before deciding to drop out of school and work for an art gallery. In March 1986, Ferguson and Prince Andrew announced their engagement and officially tied the knot in Westminster Abbey that July. Ferguson assumed her husband's royal and ducal status and became the Duchess of York.