AceShowbiz - Sarah Ferguson has hidden "a lot" of mental health problems over the years. The Duchess of York, 63, added in a talk on stage at the 92nd Street Y in New York City on Monday, March 6, she has felt she had so little self-worth she used to buy presents for people to "over-compensate" for her fear there was no way they could feel affection for her.

"I've always managed to hide (my mental issues) very well. People-pleasing, over-generosity, gift-giving, all that sort of stuff… ," she said in an hour-long chat. "(It was), 'They can't love me', 'I have no self-worth, therefore I must over-compensate'. And it's a thing I talk about very candidly."

Sarah spoke at the event to promote her latest romance novel "A Most Intriguing Lady", which she joked had given her dreams of playing a woman who gets swept off her feet in a soppy "Hallmark film". She added, "I want to be the one who leaves New York and goes to Vermont or somewhere and the car goes off the road and a really handsome man comes to rescue me."

Sarah. who was married to the late Queen Elizabeth's son Prince Andrew, 63, from 1986 to 1996, and with whom she had children Princess Beatrice, 34, and 32-year-old Princess Eugenie, added she cannot stand to see "cruelty" given to her children.

Referring to how she calls the family unit of herself and her daughters "the tripod", the duchess added, "The thing is, is that the girls and I are called 'the tripod,' but it's very sad to see the cruelty given to another. And I feel very strongly that the most important thing is to keep Beatrice and Eugenie and tripod, the mum, the best way we can, (which to) win is by success, and my goodness, the kids are incredible."