King Charles 'has not invited Sarah Ferguson to his coronation'

King Charles ‘has not invited Sarah Ferguson to his coronation’ – meaning she will be forced to watch from home while her ex Andrew and daughters Eugenie and Beatrice take part

• Fergie still lives with her ex Prince Andrew at Windsor mansion Royal Lodge
• But she’s not expected to attend coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6

King Charles III has not invited Sarah Ferguson to his coronation – meaning his former sister-in-law will have to watch the event on TV, it was claimed today.

The 63-year-old Duchess of York, nicknamed ‘Fergie’, still lives with her ex-husband Prince Andrew at the Windsor mansion of Royal Lodge despite their divorce in 1996.

But she is now not expected to attend the coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6 – despite Andrew and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie both set to be there.

The report in The Independent today will likely surprise some royal watchers – with Meghan Markle’s friend Omid Scobie tweeting: ‘If true, this feels kinda cruel, no?’

And it comes one day after Buckingham Palace revealed Prince Harry will be at the event but his wife will stay in California with the couple’s children Archie and Lilibet.

Sarah, Duchess of York (centre, left) posted a picture in May 2020 of her with Prince Andrew (centre, right) and their daughters Princess Eugenie (far right) and Princess Beatrice (far left)

Sarah, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew attend Ascot Racecourse together in June 2019

Princesses Beatrice (left) and Eugenie at the Easter Sunday service in Windsor on April 9

One of Sarah’s friends told the Independent: ‘She has been hugely supportive of Charles and Camilla and does not want this to become about her.

READ MORE — Royals ‘have no interest in talking to Prince Harry beyond basic greetings’ at coronation 

‘The whole day is about the new King and the success of his reign but she has always championed the royal family and the Queen undoubtedly would have wanted her to be there.’

Her lack of coronation invite comes despite Andrew turning up at the Easter Service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, although her ex-husband is still excluded from most of life within the Royal Family. 

Sarah herself has also had something of a renaissance in recent months, having been invited to join King Charles and other senior royals at Sandringham at Christmas, as well as looking after the late Queen’s corgis. 

She was also a favourite of the late Queen and they were known to spend plenty of time together including walks at Windsor Park. They knew each other before Sarah’s marriage to Andrew because her father Major Ronald Ferguson was the royal polo manager.

Last month Sarah revealed during a chat with Glamour editor Samantha Barry that she had not received an invitation to the coronation – joking that it was ‘TBD’ whether she would end up going.

‘The invitations haven’t gone out yet. Have they?’ she asked when questioned whether she plans to go.

Camilla, King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew at Windsor Castle on April 9

Sarah, Duchess of York and then-Prince Charles kiss after a polo match in Windsor in June 1986

Charles speaks with Sarah during Princess Eugenie’s wedding in Windsor in October 2018

Sarah also insisted that a lack of invitation did not bother her, saying: ‘Well I’ve decided the best thing about being British around a coronation – although I’ve never been to one – I think we should, I should set up a tea room at the bottom of the drive with bunting and cakes.’

READ MORE – ‘Meghan’s decision not to go to is admirable and inspiring’, says Sussexes’ supporter Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu 

 

Just over a week ago she spoke of her continued sadness at the Queen’s death but also her admiration for Charles.

In an interview to promote her new historical fiction book ‘A Most Intriguing Lady’, Sarah told OK! magazine: ‘I have known both the King and the Queen Consort since I was a child. 

‘I think if you look at the King’s track record in areas like the environment, where he was decades ahead of his time, and the Prince’s Trust, it’s clear what an extraordinary man he is and how fortunate we are to have him on the throne.

‘I also admire the way the Queen Consort has worked tirelessly in areas like literacy and domestic violence.’

While speaking to Royal Central to promote her new book, Sarah also revealed that she is considering writing another autobiography.

Fergie has already written two memoirs of her own: My Story, published in 1996 just months after her divorce from Andrew was finalised, and then Finding Sarah in 2011, which came after another bout of financial woes.

Any new autobiography is likely to cover more recent years, including the period around Andrew’s very public fall from grace. 

Despite the pair having been divorced for nearly 30 years they are still said to remain best friends and live together. 

Sarah, Duchess of York has recently been on a publicity tour to promote her new historical fiction book ‘A Most Intriguing Lady’. She is pictured in conversation in New York on March 6

It has been rumoured that Andrew is also considering putting his own side of recent events down in print – but sources close to the disgraced royal have denied this.

Yesterday, Buckingham Palace ended months of speculation when it confirmed Harry will be a guest at Westminster Abbey, despite his troubled relationship with his family, though Meghan will stay in the US and miss Charles’s big day.

The King’s second son, who moved to California after stepping down as a senior working royal, is currently taking legal action against the Home Office over his security arrangements in the UK.

More than 2,000 guests will gather at the Abbey on May 6 to witness the nation’s first coronation for 70 years, with foreign dignitaries set to include First Lady Jill Biden.

Sarah, Duchess of York (centre) with Jack Brooksbank (left) and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (right) at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19, 2022

A mass police presence will be out in force on the streets of central London as well-wishers flock to the capital to see the King, Camilla and the royal family take part in a grand carriage procession and make an appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

Harry’s stay in the UK will be brief, with the duke heading quickly back to California to join the celebrations for Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, which coincides with the day of the coronation.

The duke will only be attending the ceremony and not taking part in other coronation festivities during the three-day bank holiday weekend.

A concert is being staged at Windsor Castle on Sunday May 7, with people also encouraged to come together across the country for a Coronation Big Lunch, while on Monday May 8, the focus is a Big Help Out volunteering drive.

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