Sarah, Duchess of York January 1988, during the trip to New York to attend a fundraising event, the Duchess was attacked by a young man at the entrance of her hotel. The man, who was screaming "murderers 3/8" and had the Irish Republican Army flag in his hands when he rushed at Sarah, was "charged with attempted assault on the Duchess and assault on a federal agent". Later a State Department press officer stated that "she was unharmed in the incident". In March 1988, the Duke and Duchess of York visited California. The trip was described by two British newspapers as a "brash, vulgar,
Sarah, Duchess of York excessive, weak-humored exhibition by two royals". The couple were defended by city officials of Los Angeles who stated that the criticism was "awful" and offending, and observers described the Duke and his wife's behaviour as friendly, and said that they fulfilled their duties. The couple became parents on 8 August 1988, with the birth of their daughter, Beatrice Elizabeth Mary. In September, the couple went on an official tour to Australia. Their second child, another daughter, Eugenie Victoria Helena, was born on 23 March 1990. During her marriage, the tabloid press ridiculed the Duchess after her weight climbed to (220