The duchess of York, the former Sarah Ferguson, signed an agreement to have her "Budgie the Little Helicopter" stories made into a cartoon television series.
The agreement gave Sleepy Kids Plc., an independent cartoon producer, the exclusive option to animate and merchandise the Budgie stories, joint managing director Vivien Schrager-Powell said."We see Budgie as a long-term children's classic character," the company said in a news release. The duchess, popularly known as Fergie, separated in March from her husband, Prince Andrew.
The Budgie stories, first published in 1989, became a subject of controversy when it was reported the duchess kept most of the royalties from the book after advertisements said its profits were going to charity.