The English monarchy returns to television: the incredible murder of Sarah Ferguson’s assistant makes its way onto the screen

Jane Andrews was for almost a decade one of Sarah Ferguson’s most trusted people when she was a relevant figure within the British royal family. Grew up in the suburbs looking through the windows of povertyshe rebelled against her destiny, she entered Buckingham Palace, she earned the maximum trust of a princess, committed a terrible crime against her lover and ended up in prison to destroy everything she had built with so much pain.

The production company of ‘The Crown’, Left Bank Pictures, has already announced a new true crime series called ‘The Lady’ and will tell the story of Jane Andrews, a four-part drama series which will offer a “partially fictional” account of a movie life.

At the time of Thomas Cressman’s murder, his lover, Jane Andrews He had been working for the Duchess of York for almost a decade. The crime would earn him the nickname “the murderer of ‘Fatal Attraction’» and the producer gives the following synopsis of the work she is preparing: «It chronicles the rise and fall of former royal stylist Jane Andrews, whose rags-to-riches fairy tale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.» And they ask themselves: “Who is the real Jane Andrews?».

Rise and fall of an extreme woman

This woman was born into poverty in 1967 and grew up in Lincolnshire. She struggled with depression and eating disorders from a young age, eiHe tried to commit suicide for the first time at the age of 15.. He would later be diagnosed with a severe personality disorder during his murder trial.

As for how he got his job at Buckingham Palace, that’s a substantial part of the story. Judy Andrews found an anonymous job offer in ‘The Lady’ magazine that demanded a personal stylist. Six months later, she was hired as Sarah Ferguson’s assistant. He was 21 years old.

Assistant and princess hit it off as soon as they saw each other. It is said that Sarah Ferguson had even started calling her new stylist “Lady Jane», taking as a reference a beautiful song by the Rolling Stones. However, during her trial Judy Andrews would be described as a tireless and sickly “social climber.” obsessed with the Duchess of York and that he tried to copy everything about her, from her style to her accent.

In 1998, he would begin an intense romantic relationship with a man named Thomas Cressman, a former stockbroker. Before his murder, the couple had been on vacation together and, according to what they say, Cressman she rejected any idea of ​​marrying Andrews. When they returned home, the couple got into an argument so heated that he called the police fearing for their safety. Later, on that night of September 17, 2000, when Cressman had gone to sleep, Andrews hit him with a cricket bat, knocking him unconscious and finally stabbed him in the chest to complete his murder. She would allege, although unsuccessfully, that the relationship with the successful businessman was based on physical violence, domination and sexual demands that she did not want to satisfy.

«Ambition and human fragility»

Robert Schildhouse, one of the producers, describes the documentary as “a fascinating exploration of ambition, desire and the search for social relevance,” adding that the series will attempt to portray this true crime drama “with nuances and depth».

Screenwriter Debbie O’Malley adds: “When Jane Andrews was tried for the murder of Thomas Cressman in 2001, she made headlines around the world. But behind those headlines, there was hiding amuch more complex, painful and suggestive story: an exploration of female ambition and human frailty and a devastating chain of events that ended with the death of a man.

In his own words, Andrews’ story is “tied to our national concern about class and our continued obsession with the royal family», and adds that «it seems as relevant now as it was twenty years ago». The murderer’s family does not agree and is fighting to stop filming.