What Really Led To King Charles' Reconciliation With Sarah Ferguson

Fans of the royal family know all too well that Sarah Ferguson didn't always have an easy time getting along with her famous in-laws. Ferguson married Prince Andrew in 1986, and the pair called it quits ten years later. Surprisingly, though, Ferguson seems to be getting along better with the royals than ever before these days. This is due, in part, to the fact that King Charles III is a fan of his former sister-in-law.

No matter who you are, getting on the king's good side is always a wise idea. And it seems that despite her legal split from the royal family, Ferguson has managed to do just that. The late Prince Philip, Ferguson's former father-in-law, banned her from attending any public events with the royal family. On Christmas 2023, however, Charles made it very clear that Fergie is back in the royal fold. Ferguson joined the royals as they took their annual Christmas Day walk to St Mary Magdelene's church in her first formal appearance with the family in three decades.

Through the years, both the royal family and the press made life difficult for Sarah Ferguson. Despite her good relationship with Prince Andrew after their split and their shared custody of their two daughters, the Duchess of York often felt left out and ignored by the royals. She wasn't even offered an invitation to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding. Even so, Ferguson has made it clear that she always has the royals' best interest in mind, even when they don't do the same for her.

A source close to the royal family told Page Six, "She's always been loyal to the family and has really not put a foot wrong in recent years. She's never said a critical word and is always extremely loyal to the institution." They added, "Sarah has always been close to the king [Charles] and is fond of him, and she has increasingly grown closer to the queen [Camilla]." Her loyalty has helped her prove herself to her ex-in-laws, but the timing here is also important. "My sense of purpose has always been ... to be very loyal and to uphold Her Majesty's values," Ferguson told Entertainment Tonight. She called Queen Elizabeth II "more a mother to me than my own mother," adding, "Now she's not there anymore, I feel as though maybe I can be free to be Sarah. I feel as though I'm liberated from my own mental shackles."

Despite her divorce and the major scandal to follow, Fergie has gone above and beyond –– not only in her loyalty to the family that turned their backs on her but also to her disgraced ex-husband. It would be difficult to blame Sarah Ferguson if she turned on Andrew after his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, the sexual assault allegations against him, and the subsequent revocation of his royal status. Yet, Fergie remains by her ex's side. Ferguson and Andrew even still share a home years after their divorce. And this is something that hasn't gone unnoticed by the royal family. 

In 2018, Fergie told the Daily Mail, "Although we are not a couple, we really believe in each other. The Yorks are a united family. We've shown it. You saw it at the wedding. My duty is to him. I am so proud of him. I stand by him and always will. The way we are is our fairytale." This outcome has been equally pleasing to the other royals. A source told Page Six, "She's devoted to her girls and grandchildren and lives with the duke day to day and has seen him through this difficult period, which has been appreciated by the wider family."