Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, was invited to the wedding of her nephew Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. She was not, however, invited to the evening reception, which was organised by Prince Charles and limited to 600 close friends and family. Fergie's attendance at the wedding was uncertain, as she was reportedly offended by not being included in Prince Charles's inner sanctum bash.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date of the wedding | 19 May 2018 |
Bride | Meghan Markle |
Groom | Prince Harry |
Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
Sarah Ferguson's outfit | Navy dress and matching jacket with pale pink trim, navy fascinator, and a single glove |
Sarah Ferguson's arrival | Solo, without Prince Andrew |
Sarah Ferguson's mood | Smiling |
Guest list | 800 guests inside St George's Chapel, 2,640 members of the public in the grounds of Windsor Castle |
Sarah Ferguson's exclusion | From the evening reception at Frogmore House |
What You'll Learn
Sarah Ferguson's outfit at the wedding
Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, attended the royal wedding of her nephew Prince Harry to Meghan Markle in 2018. Fergie's outfit was a navy skirt suit with pale pink details and a matching fascinator. The jacket of the skirt suit was described as having white piping, and she wore it with a coordinating navy fascinator. The outfit was designed by Emma Louise Design.
Fergie accessorised with a pillbox hat with navy veiling and hand-sculpted sinamay trim by milliner Jess Collett, who has also designed hats for Madonna and Rita Ora.
Fergie's outfit was notably different from the bold hats worn by her daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, which Fergie was not invited to.
Fergie's choice of outfit for Harry and Meghan's wedding was seen as an indication that she was being welcomed back into the royal fold after a number of scandals.
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Her relationship with Prince Harry
Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, has had a somewhat tumultuous relationship with the British royal family. She was married to Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger brother of King Charles III. Her marriage to Prince Andrew brought her into the royal fold, but she has since had a strained relationship with the family due to several scandals and her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996. Despite this, she has maintained a positive relationship with her ex-husband and has even lived with him at his home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor.
Now, onto her relationship with Prince Harry.
Sarah Ferguson's Relationship with Prince Harry
Sarah Ferguson is the aunt of Prince Harry, as she was married to his uncle, Prince Andrew. She has a close relationship with her nephew, and this was evident when she attended his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. Notably, she was not invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, which caused her some hurt. However, she was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, and she expressed gratitude to the couple for including her.
Sarah Ferguson has always had a soft spot for Meghan Markle and could relate to her struggles with the British press and public. In an interview with Vogue in 2019, Ferguson drew comparisons between the treatment she received from the media and the treatment Meghan was facing. She declined to offer advice to Meghan but acknowledged that she could relate to the challenges of being bullied by the public and press. Ferguson also penned an open letter via Hello! magazine's #HelloToKindness initiative, lambasting the media for pitting women against each other.
Before Meghan met the Queen, she received guidance from Sarah Ferguson, who taught her how to greet Her Majesty appropriately. In his memoir, "Spare," Prince Harry recounted how Ferguson came outside and demonstrated to Meghan how to curtsy. This positive experience stood in contrast to the racism and media scrutiny Meghan faced, which she later detailed in her and Harry's interview with Oprah in 2021.
Despite their initially close relationship, there were reports of strain between Sarah Ferguson and the Sussexes following Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018. Meghan and Harry announced their pregnancy with Archie just days after the wedding, which some saw as stealing Eugenie's thunder. However, other sources claimed that Ferguson already knew about the pregnancy before the wedding, and Eugenie did not seem to take the issue to heart, maintaining a close relationship with Meghan.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties in 2020, Sarah Ferguson defended their decision. She argued that Princess Diana would be proud of her grandchildren and that the most important thing was for them to be happy. Ferguson also refused to judge the Sussexes for their actions, stating that she wished them happiness. She drew parallels between their experiences, having also been judged for her behaviour.
However, in a 2023 interview with The Independent, Ferguson offered a different perspective, suggesting that Harry and Meghan couldn't have it both ways. She implied that they couldn't expect to be invited to weddings if they chose to leave the royal family. Despite this, she praised Harry and Meghan for pursuing their own paths and being brave enough to figure out what they wanted in life.
In conclusion, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Harry have had a close relationship over the years. She has supported him and his wife, Meghan Markle, through various challenges and life decisions. Despite some rumoured strain, they appear to have a fond relationship, with Ferguson expressing gratitude for her inclusion in Harry's wedding and defending the Sussexes' choices.
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Her relationship with the rest of the royal family
Sarah Ferguson's relationship with the rest of the royal family has been strained over the years, particularly with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who reportedly vowed never to be in the same room as her again. This tension arose due to Ferguson's involvement in several scandals, including a 1992 photograph of her with her toes in another man's mouth before her divorce from Prince Andrew was finalised. Other scandals include a tell-all book written by her former astrologist, Madame Vasso, and a 2010 incident where she was filmed offering to take cash from a tabloid reporter posing as a businessman in exchange for access to her ex-husband.
Despite these controversies, Sarah Ferguson has maintained a positive relationship with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, and their two daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. She even continues to live with Prince Andrew at his home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor. In recent years, Queen Elizabeth has allowed Ferguson back into the royal enclosure at the Royal Ascot.
Ferguson's relationship with the rest of the royal family is complex. While she was not invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, she did attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. It is believed that Prince Harry pushed for his aunt's inclusion, despite reported resistance from Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles, who organised the reception. Ferguson's attendance at Harry and Meghan's wedding signalled a potential shift in her standing with the royal family, as it was her first appearance at a royal nuptial since her own wedding in 1986.
While Ferguson's relationship with the royal family has had its challenges, there are signs of reconciliation, particularly through her continued closeness with her ex-husband and daughters, as well as her presence at recent royal events.
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Her attendance at other royal weddings
Sarah Ferguson, also known as Fergie, has had a strained relationship with the royal family since her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996. As such, she has not always been invited to royal weddings.
Fergie was notably absent from the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. She later told Oprah Winfrey that she had found it difficult to be left out of the high-profile event, especially as her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were in attendance.
Fergie was also not invited to the weddings of Princess Anne's children, Peter Philips and Zara Tindall. It is understood that the reason for her non-invite was due to her being disliked by Prince Philip and Princess Anne.
However, in 2018, Fergie was invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. She was reportedly "honoured" and "grateful" to be included in the ceremony, although she did not receive an invitation to the private reception held by Prince Charles afterward. It is believed that Harry insisted that his aunt be added to the guest list, despite rumoured pushback from Buckingham Palace.
Fergie's attendance at Prince Harry's wedding was seen as a sign that she was being welcomed back into the royal fold, especially as she was given a warm hug by her future son-in-law, Jack Brooksbank, upon her arrival at the chapel.
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Her relationship with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew first met as children, but they didn't start dating until they reconnected in 1985. Their engagement caused a stir, as Andrew allegedly didn't get permission from Queen Elizabeth II at the time. They married in 1986 and had two daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. However, the couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. Despite the divorce, Ferguson has been candid about remaining friendly with her ex-husband for the sake of their children. They have continued to prioritise raising their daughters together, and Ferguson has even referred to their family as a united family and a strong family unit.
Ferguson has also stood by Andrew's side through various scandals and accusations. In 2019, Andrew was accused of sexual assault by Virginia Roberts Giuffre. The lawsuit was settled out of court, but Andrew was stripped of his military titles and stopped participating in senior royal duties. Despite this, Ferguson paid tribute to Andrew on his birthday during this time, sharing a photo of him on Instagram with the caption, "Happy 60th Birthday to Andrew."
In addition to their commitment to co-parenting, there have been rumours of a possible remarriage between the pair. In 2013, when asked about the possibility of remarrying, Ferguson replied, "He’s still my handsome prince, he’ll always be my handsome prince. It’s lovely that we are such a family and the story has a happy ending all the time." While neither has confirmed a romantic reunion, they continue to live together and maintain a close friendship.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Sarah Ferguson was invited to the wedding of her nephew, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle.
It is rumoured that Sarah Ferguson was not invited to the reception at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
No, Sarah Ferguson did not attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.
No, Sarah Ferguson had not attended any royal weddings since her own in 1986.