Sarah Ferguson married Prince Andrew in 1986, and they welcomed two daughters together. But they separated six years later. The two continued co-parenting Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and Sarah even vacationed with the royal family. But her embarrassing toe-sucking scandal in 1992 changed all that and the Duchess of York was asked to leave the family’s Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle.
It took years for Fergie to get back into Queen Elizabeth II‘s good graces, but she eventually did. The women became so close that when the queen died, her beloved corgis were sent to live with her former daughter-in-law just as the late monarch wanted.
But some have wondered what their relationship was like when Sarah was still married to Andrew. Here’s more on that, and the one thing Fergie did so much that it annoyed Queen Elizabeth enough to comment on it.
In his book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks, Andrew Lownie explains how the royals had known Sarah’s family all her life and they appreciated that she shared their interests in the outdoors, in dogs, in horses, and charades.
However, a “well-connected source” told the author that there was one thing Sarah did all the time that bugged everyone except for Andrew.
According to the source, “Fergie couldn’t stop talking — and inappropriately. She was all high jinks, jolly hockey sticks, and practical jokes. Andy loved it, no one else did.”
The insider added that the late Queen Elizabeth was not impressed and even made a remark about Sarah’s talkative personality.
“The queen said to someone, ‘Does that girl never stop talking!’” Lownie shared (per the Daily Mail).
After her divorce, Fergie told the queen all she wanted was her ‘friendship’
In 1996, Sarah and Prince Andrew finalized their divorce and at that time, the duchess decided to lay her cards on the table. When she negotiated a settlement for their divorce, she asked for Queen Elizabeth’s friendship and forgiveness.
“When I met with Her Majesty, she asked, ‘What do you require, Sarah?’ and I said, ‘Your friendship,’” Fergie recalled. “I wanted to be able to say, ‘Her Majesty is my friend.’”
In the years that followed, “Sarah continued her great friendship with Her Majesty by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting.”
When Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022, Sarah took to social media, writing: “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 … I will miss her more than words can express.”
The queen’s corgis, Muick and Sandy, were on hand to bid a final farewell as the queen’s casket arrived at Windsor Castle for the committal service following her funeral. They were then “returned to live at Royal Lodge with the Duke and Duchess of York.”
