Prince Andrew's ex Sarah Ferguson absent from Queen's funeral procession despite being 'close' with late monarch
LONDON, ENGLAND: While members of the royal family including King Charles III, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex followed Queen Elizabeth II's coffin during the procession at Westminster Hall on September 14; Sarah Ferguson was absent.
The Duchess of York, known as Fergie, was married to the Queen's 'favourite son' Prince Andrew for a decade before they took a call to split in the year 1992 and divorced in 1996. It was reported earlier by The Telegraph that Ferguson, who still lives with the duke, is expected to attend. However, during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II, she was not seen among members of the Royal Family.
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The mother-of-two daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, in fact, has not been spotted in public at all since the Queen's death on September 8. She also did not attend Prince Philip's funeral or memorial service, who called her "odd" and "pointless" and even reportedly asked her to leave Balmoral when he arrived during holidays, as per DailyMail.
But in spite of the drama, Ferguson shared a close relationship with the Queen. She said in a statement posted on Twitter, following Queen's death, "I am heartbroken by the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy: the most fantastic example of duty and service and steadfastness, and a constant steadying presence as our head of state for more than 70 years." "She has given her whole life selflessly to the people of the UK & the Commonwealth. To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce," she added in another tweet.
I am heartbroken by the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy: the most fantastic example of duty and service and steadfastness, and a constant steadying presence as our head of state for more than 70 years. pic.twitter.com/3X6Lpy98lr
— Sarah Ferguson (@SarahTheDuchess) September 8, 2022
She has given her whole life selflessly to the people of the UK & the Commonwealth.
— Sarah Ferguson (@SarahTheDuchess) September 8, 2022
To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce.
In 2021, Ferguson appeared on an episode of the 'Tea with Twiggy' podcast and called the Queen her "greatest mentor" and the "person who believes in me." She said, "I think to myself that honestly, my mother-in-law has been more of a mother to me than my mother." "My greatest mentor and...person who believes in me is the Queen ‑ and [she] has never faltered. I absolutely admire the incredible way Her Majesty is so modern ... and how flexible, and how understanding, and how forgiving and how generous," she said and added, "I absolutely think there is no greater mentor because, from a little girl to now, the consistency of Her Majesty has been a great honour, it's a huge honour ‑ makes me want to cry," as quoted by Express.
