Sarah Ferguson's 'promise' to Queen Elizabeth II over Prince Andrew before she died
Sarah has stood by Andrew over the years despite their divorceSarah Ferguson once revealed the promise she made to the late Queen Elizabeth II about her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, before the monarch’s death.
The 65-year-old was married to the Duke of York from 1986 to 1996, and they share daughters Princess Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 35. It’s been a turbulent few years for Prince Andrew.
During his civil sexual assault case scandal, Sarah stood by her ex-husband. Andrew settled the case out of court in 2022 after he was accused of sexual assault, allegations he has always denied.
In 2023, Sarah opened up about the promise she made to the queen about Andrew.
Sarah Ferguson on promise she made to Queen Elizabeth about Prince Andrew
During an appearance on the ITV daytime show Loose Women to promote her book, A Most Intriguing Lady, Sarah made her confession.
I said to his mum before she died, ‘I will be there for him, I will help him on his journey.’
“We are longer divorced than married, and I believe in the three c’s – communicate, compromise, and compassion,” Sarah said. “That’s what I do with Andrew. We get on because, in the darkest time of my life, he was always there for me.”
Sarah Ferguson on ‘darkest time’ of Andrew’s life
The duchess went on: “In the darkest time of his life, I will be there for him.”
She then recalled the vow she made to Queen Elizabeth II before she died in September 2022.
“The queen was there for him – his mum,” Sarah added: “I said to his mum before she died, ‘I will be there for him, I will help him on his journey.'”
Sarah has previously spoken about her decision to stand by Andrew, and why she’ll “always be there” for him. In 2022, the Duke of York settled his sexual assault civil case with his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
In an interview with The Telegraph in March 2023, Sarah was asked if the queen knew she would always be there for her son. Sarah told journalist Celia Walden: “She knew. I will always be there. Always. Because I love her.”
Sarah will ‘always be there’ for Andrew
Speaking about her former mother-in-law, Sarah said: “Because also, during the last three years, her poor son [Prince Andrew] has been going through such a tumultuous time, and I think HM was very relieved I could help her with him, so we became even closer, then. But I’ve always admired and adored her. Really, she was more of a mother to me than my mother.”
Andrew and Sarah are the focus of a new royal book by author Andrew Lownie. It’s titled Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, and “reveals the extent to which Andrew and Fergie’s lives are still deeply entwined”.
Read more: ‘Reason’ King Charles will never ‘kick Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson out of Royal Lodge’
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