Sarah Ferguson reportedly felt furious when Meghan Markle stole the spotlight from her daughter's wedding by announcing her pregnancy during Princess Eugenie's nuptials to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.
This incident is cited as a significant source of tension in the relationship between Meghan Markle and Sarah, which began in October 2016. Royal reporters Dylan Howard and Andy Tillet, authors of the book "Royals of War," noted that Meghan and Harry's announcement overshadowed Fergie's moment. They described it as a social gaffe, even if Meghan weren't a royal. The revelation of Meghan's pregnancy at the wedding overshadowed Princess Eugenie's big day, creating friction within the royal family.
Despite their initial friendly meeting in 2016, organized by Prince Harry at the Royal Lodge, this incident significantly strained the relationship between Meghan and Fergie. In a March 2023 interview with The Telegraph, Sarah Ferguson claimed she doesn't really know Meghan Markle. She candidly admitted, "I haven't really met her." This statement appears to contradict Meghan's own account of their interactions during a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan fondly recalled how Fergie had hurriedly taught her the proper way to curtsy right before meeting Queen Elizabeth II for the first time. Meghan described the moment when they practiced curtsying outside the house before meeting the Queen. However, the discrepancy between Fergie's claim of not knowing Meghan and Meghan's own account raises questions about the true nature of their relationship and the impact of the controversial wedding moment on their bond.
Sarah Ferguson recently shared insights into royal life during an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival. She touched upon the topic of royal family dynamics, emphasizing forgiveness as a key element in maintaining strong family ties amidst any tensions. In an interview with People magazine, Sarah emphasized the importance of supporting one another and the power of forgiveness. "I think family unity is key," she said, adding, "And also, forgiveness is a great thing. I think forgiveness of yourself and forgiveness of others." Fergie's comments came in response to a question about whether she'd been supporting King Charles and Princess Katherine as they received treatment for cancer.
According to royal author Tom Quinn, Sarah's remarks were a thinly veiled reference to the ongoing tensions between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and King Charles. He noted that Sarah Ferguson has her own well-publicized family difficulties to deal with. She's never stopped trying to persuade the senior royals to rehabilitate her former husband, Prince Andrew.
When she talked about unity and the need for forgiveness, she undoubtedly had her husband in mind as well. Quinn observed, "The Duchess of York is only too well aware from her own life in the royal family that anger and bitterness ultimately lead nowhere." She has always felt that Harry needs to pull himself together and try to move past the past for the sake of the family. She believes that Harry is taking things too far.
