Sarah Ferguson helped by charity work

May 6, 2010, 12:02 GMT

Britain's Sarah Ferguson became less "self-obsessed" by giving to others.

The Duchess of York has revealed her grandmother helped her deal with her personal problems - including her weight and divorce from Prince Andrew - by encouraging her to do more charity work.

Speaking at the Power of the Purse luncheon at the Greenville Convention Center in the US yesterday (05.05.10) - she revealed: "My grandmother said to me, 'Sarah, you know what? You're so self-obsessed. Why don't you go and give to others, and then you'll realise just how lucky you are.' And she was right."

Sarah, 50, has visited Poland, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia recently, where she addressed health issues for women and children, and believes this was just what she needed to change her focus.

She said: "I stopped thinking about myself. I stopped thinking about what I got wrong. And I realised that it's in giving that I was able to manage."

The duchess - who was speaking at the luncheon to raise money for the Women for Women Endowment Fund which provides grants to assist women and girls - also admitted she wishes she'd fought harder to save her marriage with Andrew.

She said: "Had I been honest with myself and really looked at Sarah and what she was doing, maybe I would still be married."