Fergie's Royal Snub: Why Wasn't She Invited?

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was not invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. Ferguson, who was married to Prince Andrew from 1986 until their divorce in 1996, told Town & Country magazine that she didn't feel worthy of an invitation and travelled to Thailand to try and heal. Ferguson's non-invitation was notable because her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, were all in attendance.

Fergie's scandalous behaviour

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was not invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. This was surprising to some, as her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, and their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were all in attendance. Ferguson revealed that she felt unworthy of an invitation and took a trip to Thailand to avoid the wedding and begin healing.

So, what scandalous behaviour led to Fergie's exclusion from the guest list? Here are a few possible reasons:

• Fergie has long been considered an embarrassment to the Royal Family. She was photographed in an intimate situation with her financial advisor at a villa in Saint-Tropez, France. This incident damaged her reputation and caused embarrassment for the Royals.
• Fergie's biggest scandal came in 2010 when she was secretly filmed attempting to sell "access" to Prince Andrew for £500,000 (around $700,000). In the video, she promises a businessman (who was actually a reporter in disguise) that she can open any door for him if he looks after her financially. This incident occurred just a year before William and Kate's wedding and may have been a significant factor in the decision not to invite Fergie.
• There may have been concerns about Fergie's financial situation and the potential for her to use the wedding as an opportunity to make money. The Royals were aware of her financial struggles, and a wedding invitation could have been seen as a lucrative invitation for Fergie to exploit.
• Prince William may have held a grudge against Fergie due to a falling out she had with his mother, Princess Diana, before her death in 1997. The extent of the rift was such that Diana refused to take Fergie's calls. It is possible that William still bore ill feelings towards Fergie because of this.
• The Royal Family may have simply wanted to avoid any potential embarrassment caused by Fergie's presence at the wedding. With 1,900 guests in attendance, they may have wanted to minimise the risk of any scenes involving ex-wives or current girlfriends.

While the true reasons for Fergie's exclusion may never be fully known, it is clear that her behaviour caused enough concern for her to be left off the guest list for one of the most prominent Royal weddings in recent memory.

Prince William holds a grudge

So, why exactly did William hold a grudge against his aunt? Well, it seems that the issue may have stemmed from a scandal involving Fergie. In 2010, just a year before William's wedding, Fergie was caught in a sting operation set up by a journalist. She was filmed appearing to ask for and accept cash in exchange for access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew. This incident caused quite a bit of embarrassment for the royal family and likely led to Fergie's exclusion from the wedding.

Fergie herself admitted that her past discretions may have been the reason for the snub, telling Oprah Winfrey, "I felt that I ostracized myself by my behaviour, by the past, by living with all the regrets of my mistakes". She also acknowledged that it was understandable that William and Kate didn't invite her, saying, "Why would they—why would they invite me?".

The decision to exclude Fergie from the wedding caused her a great deal of pain. She told Oprah that it was difficult and that she felt totally worthless. She also regretted not being able to attend the wedding with her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and felt sad that she wasn't there to see the last royal bride walk up the aisle at Westminster Abbey, as she had been that bride years before.

Interestingly, Fergie's relationship with Prince Harry seems to be much better. She was invited to his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018, although she was not invited to the evening reception hosted by Prince Charles. It is believed that Harry and Fergie share a mutual adoration for each other and enjoy spending time together.

There was no room

One of the reasons posited by royal watcher Mark Saunders for Fergie's absence at the wedding is the limited space at Buckingham Palace. In an interview with CNN, Saunders mentions that the wedding had a limited number of guests, with only true friends in attendance. However, with a guest list of 1,900 or more, it seems that space could have been found for Fergie, especially since her children and ex-husband were in attendance.

Saunders also speculates that the royals may have been trying to prevent any embarrassing scenes involving ex-wives and current girlfriends. He suggests that Fergie's presence could have potentially marred the proceedings at the Abbey with a "cat fight in the front aisle."

While the official reason for Fergie's absence remains unknown, it is clear that her non-invitation caused some controversy and speculation at the time.

Prince Andrew brought a date

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, brought his then-girlfriend, Koo Stark, to the wedding. Andrew and Stark had met in February 1981, before his active service in the Falklands War. They took a holiday together on the island of Mustique in October 1982. Their relationship ended in 1983 under pressure from the press, paparazzi, and palace.

Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. They have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Fergie didn't want to go

One of the reasons that has been speculated for Fergie's absence at the wedding is that she didn't want to go. This is one of the five reasons that Mark Saunders, a royal watcher, gave in a CNN article. He notes that Fergie's office released a statement claiming she had a prior commitment, but he considers it highly unlikely that anyone would choose to miss the wedding.

Saunders' suggestion is based on the assumption that Fergie would have wanted to avoid the embarrassment of being a snubbed ex-wife. He writes that the royals may have been trying to prevent "embarrassing scenes involving ex-wives and current girlfriends".

Fergie's statement about her absence at the wedding supports this idea. She said:

> "I didn't think I was probably worthy to go to their wedding. I took myself to Thailand, actually, to be far away from it so that I could try and heal."

Fergie's statement indicates that she felt unworthy of an invitation and chose to remove herself from the situation to avoid any potential embarrassment or negative feelings.

It is also worth noting that Fergie did not bear any ill will towards the royal family for not inviting her. She understood her position within the institution at the time and took responsibility for her actions that may have contributed to her not being invited.

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