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Fergie blames online trolls for pitting Meghan and Kate against each other

Sarah Ferguson has hit out at online trolls, blaming them for pitting Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton against each other.

The 60-year-old, who was married to the Duke of York, Prince Andrew for 10 years before they divorced in 1996, told the Australian Women’s Weekly that she believes social media has “become a sewer where people say things they wouldn’t dream of saying face-to-face”.

Sarah Ferguson attends the BFI Luminous Fundraising Gala at The Roundhouse on October 01, 2019 in London, England.
Sarah Ferguson has hit out at online trolls for pitting Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton against each other. Photo: Getty Images

“Women are pitted against other women. Trolling online is vicious and hurtful. We have to stand against it,” the Duchess of York said.

“Let’s all try to treat each other a little more gently and be kinder. Let’s all try to think before we post.”

She urged people to call out anyone they see behaving in a nasty way online, as it’s something she feels very strongly about.

Kensington Palace were forced to trawl through comments on their Instagram account for months after fans of both the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Cambridge came to loggerheads.

In March last year, the palace issued a powerful statement asking their followers to show some respect, kindness and courtesy when they’re online.

They banned their followers from spamming the account with obscene, offensive, threatening, abusive, hateful, inflammatory comments or ones that promote sexually explicit material or violence.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in the Royal Box on Centre Court along with Martina Navratilova and her spouse Julia Lemigova during the Serena Williams of the United States match against Simona Halep of Romania during the Ladies Singles Final on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 13, 2019 in London, England.
Meghan Markle fans and Kate Middleton fans online forced Kensington Palace to step in to curb their behaviour. Photo: Getty Images

Since then, Harry and Meghan have decided to step away from their roles as senior royals within the family and just three days bid their fans farewell on their Sussex Royal Instagram account.

“What’s most important right now is the health and wellbeing of everyone across the globe and finding solutions for the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this pandemic,” they wrote.

“As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute.

“While you may not see us here, the work continues.

“Thank you to this community - for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great!

“Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another. Harry and Meghan.”

It’s not clear what plans Harry and Meghan have up their sleeves but they have just made the move from Canada to LA and Meghan has also worked on a Disney voiceover for a documentary about her work with the charity Elephants Without Borders.

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