Sarah Ferguson's Reported Attempts To End The Royal Family Feud Have Failed Miserably

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has tried to put an end to the royal family feud. Unfortunately, her reported peacemaking efforts haven't gone over well. If she plans to reunite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with the rest of the royals, she may need a new strategy.

Since stepping down as working royals in 2020, Harry and Meghan's relationships with King Charles III and William, Prince of Wales have reportedly grown increasingly strained. Royal author Tom Quinn told the Mirror, "Sarah and her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie have tried to intervene in the feud... they've tried to calm the situation and persuade Harry that he's had his say and he doesn't need to stir things up any further." Yet, according to Quinn, "Harry was never likely to pay much attention largely because his feud with the royal family has become a key part of what makes him tick."

Fergie knows firsthand what it feels like to be exiled by the royal family. After a decade of marriage, Sarah split from Prince Andrew in 1996. Her former father-in-law, the late Prince Philip, reportedly forced her out of the royal fold after she was involved in multiple scandals. Royal author Duncan Larcombe told Page Six, "If there's one thing the Windsors are good at, it's holding a grudge." Since King Charles III became king, however, she has been welcomed back into the family. And the duchess clearly hopes Harry can achieve this, too.

Sarah Ferguson and her former sister-in-law, Princess Diana had a strong friendship. Consequently, it's easy to see why she would have a soft spot for her late friend's son. Since leaving their royal roles and moving out of the U.K., Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received more than a bit of criticism from the public, as well as, reportedly, the royal family. 

In 2023, Sarah appeared on "Sunrise" and seemed to defend Harry and Meghan's choice to leave the royals and forge their own path. "... Anyone that is out there really trailblazing for their own beliefs, and it doesn't matter where you're from or who you are... That's very brave," Sarah said, per The Royal Observer. She went on to say, "I would never be one to make a comment on any other member of the royal family or anybody who does that. I just find anyone that stands very tall about their own beliefs is very brave, whoever it is."

Sarah clearly has respect for Harry's eagerness to stand up for what he believes in, but his unwillingness to compromise in order to bring the family back together might have her changing her tune. According to Tom Quinn, "She feels Harry is just taking things too far." He explained, "She has always felt that Harry needs to pull himself together and try to forget about the past for the sake of the family."

After everything Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been through with the royal family, it's difficult to imagine them compromising and putting the past behind them. Yet, Sarah Ferguson has experience with swallowing her pride in order to get back in the royal family's good graces. Tom Quinn says that she "has learned the hard way that you can't fight the Royal Family and win — she has spent a long time trying to keep a low profile and avoid getting into the kind of trouble that has embarrassed the royal family in the past." Furthermore, he says "The Duchess of York is only too well aware from her own life in the royal family that anger and bitterness ultimately lead nowhere."

Fergie is seemingly happy to be back in the royal fold, and she can thank King Charles' willingness to forgive for that. Yet it seems that Charles isn't quite so forgiving toward his son. Even when Harry has made small steps toward a possible reconciliation, Charles hasn't been particularly receptive. In May 2024, Harry visited the U.K. and reportedly attempted to visit Charles. Ultimately, a spokesperson for Harry told Page Six, that Charles turned down the invitation, saying, "it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty's full program." So, Sarah may need to speak to Charles, as well, if she has any real hopes of putting an end to the feud.