Sarah Ferguson ‘turned down honour from King Charles’ to spare Prince Andrew’s feelings
He reportedly made the suggestion at Royal Ascot
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is said to have declined an invitation from King Charles to ride in the Royal Ascot carriage procession, reportedly to avoid upsetting her ex-husband, Prince Andrew.
According to Daily Mail columnist Ephraim Hardcastle, King Charles extended the rare honour to his former sister-in-law for this year’s Royal Ascot.
This is despite the Duchess not having been included in the royal procession since her 1996 divorce.
However, Sarah is believed to have turned down the offer in a show of sensitivity toward Andrew.
Sarah Ferguson turns down Royal Ascot invitation from King Charles
“Apparently, to spare the feelings of her ex-husband,” Ephraim wrote of Sarah’s decision to decline the king’s gesture, as reported by Marie Claire.
While the Duchess was warmly welcomed, Prince Andrew was notably barred from attending the races themselves.
“Andrew, who loved the pomp of the procession, was allowed at the pre-racing lunch but banned from attending the racing,” Ephraim reported.
The Duke of York has remained largely out of public life since stepping down from royal duties in 2019, following backlash over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
His relationship with the wider royal family has been further strained in recent months by his ongoing dispute with the king over the Royal Lodge estate and fresh controversy over alleged ties to a Chinese spy.
Despite Andrew’s continued absence from royal public duties, Sarah Ferguson’s standing appears to be on the rise.
In a symbolic moment last year, King Charles invited her to join the royal family’s traditional Christmas walk to church. This was her first time taking part in the event since the 1990s.
Sarah and Andrew continue to live together at Royal Lodge despite their divorce. However, they opted to skip Christmas 2024 at Sandringham altogether.
The duchess was praised at the time for “saving Christmas” by convincing Andrew to stay away amid his latest scandal.
Sarah Ferguson returns to Wimbledon
More recently, Sarah made a historic return to the Royal Box at Wimbledon on June 30. This marked her first appearance at Wimbledon in nearly three decades.
She attended the tennis tournament alongside her daughter, Princess Beatrice.
The last time she was seen in the Royal Box was in 1988, seated beside Princess Diana. The appearance, along with her attendance at Royal Ascot this year, is seen as further evidence of her gradual return to royal public life under Charles’ reign.
Sarah’s rehabilitation has also been strengthened by her openness about her recent health struggles.
She was diagnosed with both breast and skin cancer.
“It was hard,” she told The Times. “I’m generally a positive person, but cancer is like a bomb going off in your life. One diagnosis is enough to deal with, but I had two in the space of a year. I don’t mind admitting that my mind went to some dark places, reflecting on my own mortality.”
She credited her daughters and her practice of mindfulness with helping her through the emotionally turbulent time.
Read more: Inside Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana’s rollercoaster friendship and ‘sad’ fallout
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