Harry And Meghan's Wedding: Fergie's Attendance Confusion

Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, was invited to Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. Fergie is the aunt of Prince Harry and Prince William through her marriage to Prince Andrew, but she was not invited to Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011. Fergie's attendance at Prince Harry's wedding was a surprise to many, as she is no longer a member of the royal family and had been snubbed from other royal events.

Fergie's presence at Harry's wedding

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, was invited to Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. Fergie is the aunt of Prince William and Prince Harry through her marriage to Prince Andrew, though she is no longer officially a member of the royal family. She attended the wedding alongside her ex-husband, with whom she has remained close. However, she was not pictured sitting beside him or their family.

Fergie's presence at the wedding was particularly notable given her absence from Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011. It is believed that she was not invited to their nuptials due to a scandal the year before, in which she was filmed selling "access" to Prince Andrew. Fergie has spoken about how difficult it was for her to be excluded from William and Kate's wedding, as she wanted to be there with her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Fergie's invitation to Harry and Meghan's wedding may have come as a surprise to some, and it has been speculated that the Queen played a role in the decision to include her. During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, Fergie praised the Queen, saying, "What an icon to the country, and one of the finest people I've ever met... Her Majesty knew me from a little naughty age 10... I can't thank Her Majesty enough for being so steadfast to me."

While Fergie was invited to the wedding ceremony, she was not invited to the private reception held by Prince Charles in the evening. An insider commented that Prince Charles "doesn't have time for her" and "can't see why she is still such a big part of his brother's life."

Fergie's absence at William's wedding

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, was notably absent from the wedding of her nephew, Prince William, to Kate Middleton in 2011. Fergie, as she is known to friends, is the aunt of Prince William through her marriage to Prince Andrew, with whom she has remained close, despite their divorce.

Fergie's absence from the wedding was rumoured to be at the request of Prince Philip, and came a year after she was filmed selling "access" to her ex-husband. Fergie later spoke about how difficult it was for her not to be included, expressing her desire to be there with her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and to get them ready as a family.

Fergie's exclusion from the wedding was particularly notable given her close relationship with her ex-husband, with whom she still lives, and the fact that she had been welcomed at Westminster Abbey just a few years prior for the wedding of Prince William's younger brother, Prince Harry.

Fergie's Inclusion at Harry's Wedding

In contrast to William's wedding, Fergie was invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. Fergie's inclusion at Harry's wedding was a surprise to many, given her absence from William's wedding just seven years prior. It is believed that Harry is close to his aunt, and the two share a "mutual adoration".

Fergie's invitation to Harry's wedding was rumoured to have come from Queen Elizabeth II, whom Fergie praised in an appearance on Good Morning Britain, saying:

> "I just think that Her Majesty is an incredible lady...What an icon to the country, and one of the finest people I've ever met. She leads by such example and to include me is a wonderful gesture... I can't thank Her Majesty enough for being so steadfast to me."

Fergie's attendance at Harry's wedding marked something of a comeback for the Duchess, who had not been welcomed by the royal family for some time. However, it is important to note that Fergie was only invited to the ceremony, not the private reception that followed, which was hosted by Prince Charles.

Fergie's relationship with the royal family

Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and the mother of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Although she is no longer an official member of the royal family, she has been invited to several royal events in recent years, including Prince Harry's wedding.

However, in recent years, Fergie's relationship with the royal family seems to have improved. She has been invited to spend time with them during their annual trip to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, although Prince Philip refuses to be there when she visits. Fergie was also invited to Prince Harry's wedding in 2018, which was seen as a sign that she was being welcomed back into the royal fold. She expressed her gratitude to the Queen for including her in the special occasion.

Fergie has also continued to attend royal events and engagements with her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and has been praised for her charity work, particularly her involvement with organisations supporting cancer patients and children. She has also been open about her own health struggles, including a breast cancer diagnosis in 2023 and a malignant melanoma diagnosis in 2024.

Despite the improvements in her relationship with the royal family, Fergie was not invited to King Charles III's coronation in 2023. She explained that as a divorced woman, she did not expect to be invited to a state occasion.

Fergie's relationship with Harry

Fergie, or Sarah Ferguson, was invited to Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. Fergie is the aunt of Prince Harry and Prince William through her marriage to Prince Andrew, though she and Andrew divorced in 1996. Fergie and Andrew remain close, and she still lives with him at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Fergie was not invited to Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011. It is believed that this was because, a year before the wedding, Fergie was filmed selling "access" to Andrew. Fergie later spoke about how difficult it was for her not to be included in the 2011 wedding.

> Harry gets on with Fergie really well. He thinks she’s hilarious, and they have a mutual adoration society. He loves being part of her redsetter mob [a Royal Family nickname for her] and they ski together, then gas over mulled wine.

Fergie was invited to Harry's wedding by Queen Elizabeth II, who she praised in an appearance on Good Morning Britain:

> I just think that Her Majesty is an incredible lady. What an icon to the country, and one of the finest people I’ve ever met. She leads by such example and to include me is a wonderful gesture… Her Majesty knew me from a little naughty age 10… I can’t thank Her Majesty enough for being so steadfast to me.

Fergie was honoured to be invited to the wedding, saying:

> I felt honoured and grateful for Harry and Meghan to invite me... It was very kind of them and I think I can't thank them enough for doing that because it was nerve-wracking but I knew I was ready.

Fergie's relationship with the Queen

Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, was married to Prince Andrew, the Queen's second son and the Duke of York. Fergie's relationship with the Queen has been described as "rocky" at times.

Fergie and Andrew's wedding took place in 1986 at Westminster Abbey, with the Queen's consent, which was required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772. After the wedding, Fergie became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York and joined her husband in carrying out royal engagements, including official overseas visits.

However, in 1992, Fergie and Andrew announced their separation, and the Duchess' relationship with the rest of the Royal Family became strained. Buckingham Palace announced that Fergie would no longer carry out public engagements on behalf of the Queen, and the Queen stated that she would not take responsibility for Fergie's debts.

The Queen was also reportedly furious when, in August 1992, the Daily Mirror published secretly taken photos of Fergie with financial adviser John Bryan. Fergie was asked to leave the Balmoral Castle estate, where the royal family was gathered, as they were all upset by the pictures.

Despite the turmoil, Fergie and Andrew have remained on good terms, even describing themselves as the "world's happiest unmarried couple." Fergie has attended some functions with her daughters and has been listed as a member of the royal family by the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

Fergie has expressed her admiration for the Queen, calling her "an incredible lady" and "one of the finest people I've ever met." She has also credited the Queen for inviting her to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018, saying, "to include me is a wonderful gesture."

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