Inside Sarah Ferguson's Relationship With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle

The following article mentions suicidal ideation and sexual assault allegations. 

Ever since they left royal duties behind in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been at odds with senior members of the royal family. From Harry's feud with King Charles III, which is showing no sign of subsiding, to all the ways the royal family has snubbed Harry and Meghan, the royals have hardly been clamoring to defend the Sussexes in a post-Megxit climate. But one person who has appeared to have Harry and Meghan's backs is Sarah Ferguson.

Much like Harry and Meghan, Prince Andrew's ex-wife was, for many years, something of an outcast in the eyes of senior royals. Sarah Ferguson has had her share of awkward moments captured by millions, such as the toe-sucking scandal of 1992 and the time she was left mortified after being caught offering a tabloid journalist access to Prince Andrew for £500,000 (over $700,000). While Harry and Meghan's post-royal antics aren't quite comparable to Ferguson's myriad transgressions, the Duchess of York has made it clear that she sees herself in the ostracized couple. But with Sarah Ferguson slowly working her way back into the royal family, that once close bond might be showing signs of waning. Here's a look inside her relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

When Prince Harry first announced his engagement to Meghan Markle in 2017, the former "Suits" star was met with considerable abuse from the British public. The toxicity continued once the couple wed, as Meghan had to contend with the media comparing her to her sister-in-law, Princess Catherine. One person who turned out to be a loyal ally to Harry and Meghan amid the abuse was Sarah Ferguson. "She always had a soft spot for Meghan," a source told Closer Weekly.

In an interview with Vogue in 2019, Ferguson discussed Meghan with incredible warmth and sympathy. The duchess drew comparisons between Meghan and her own treatment at the hands of the press. "It must be hard for Meghan, and I can relate to her," she said. "I believe she is modern and fabulous. She was famous before. She is great. Why can't Meghan be great? Why can't she be celebrated?" While she declined to offer the Duchess of Sussex any advice to deal with the negativity, she conceded that she was still in Meghan's shoes, struggling with being bullied by the public and press.

Also that year, Ferguson penned an open letter via Hello! magazine's #HelloToKindness initiative. In it, she lambasted the media for pitting women against each other, such as she was with Princess Diana, which may have been an allusion to the treatment of Meghan vs. Catherine in British outlets.

Royal events have long served as a reminder of Sarah Ferguson's pariah status within The Firm. When Prince William and Princess Catherine tied the knot in 2011, Ferguson did not receive an invite in the mail. This snub deeply hurt the duchess, who had caused embarrassment the previous year by offering access to her husband for over $700,000.

But when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed in 2018, they ensured that there was no repeat of the drama that went down seven years earlier. In fact, Harry was reportedly insistent that his divisive aunt be there. "Harry always planned to invite [her]," a source told E! News. "She is the mother of [Princess] Eugenie and [Princess] Beatrice, both of whom he is close to. Harry has always been fond of Ms. Ferguson and he would never want to exclude a family member." The source added that there were a number of royals who didn't want Ferguson at the ceremony, with Harry and Meghan apparently curating their wedding guest list on their own.

It was a life-changing moment for Ferguson, who had for so long been persona non grata in the eyes of the royals. Accordingly, she was grateful to Harry and Meghan for allowing her to make a comeback of sorts to royal life. "I felt very, very honored and grateful for Harry and Meghan to invite me," she revealed on "Good Morning Britain." "That is a big, big point."

As an American, Meghan Markle found settling into royal customs a daunting task. It was an overwhelming experience that Sarah Ferguson could relate to; decades earlier, she reportedly had a nightmare first encounter with the royals, tripping over Queen Elizabeth II's Corgi and spilling her drink before curtseying to remedy her faux pas.

Before meeting her beau's grandmother, Meghan met with Ferguson, who helped initiate her into royal life. Namely, the Duchess of York taught Meghan how to greet the queen. "Fergie came outside, somewhat aflutter, and said: Do you know how to curtsy?" Prince Harry wrote in his memoir, "Spare." "Meg shook her head. Fergie demonstrated once. Meg imitated her."

During the Sussexes' revelatory "Oprah" interview in 2021, Meghan spoke fondly of Ferguson as she recalled how she helped her settle into the royal family. "Right in front of the house we practiced and ran in ... Apparently I did a very deep curtsy, I don't remember it, and then we sat there and we chatted," she said, per Tatler. This positive experience was a welcome contrast to the rest of the interview, which covered the racism experienced by Meghan at the hands of both the press and certain royals.

When Princess Eugenie wed Jack Brooksbank in 2018, Sarah Ferguson was looking forward to having her mother-of-the-bride moment. But jealousy allegedly loomed following Eugenie's special day, with Ferguson accusing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of trying to steal her thunder. 

According to Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett's 2020 book "Royals At War," Ferguson was angry when Meghan announced that she and Harry were expecting their first child, Prince Archie, as the news came just days after Eugenie's wedding. "This was a huge social gaffe, even if you were not a royal — stealing the limelight from Eugenie, who was furious, as was her mother, Sarah," the authors claimed. However, sources told Harper's Bazaar that Ferguson already knew about the pregnancy prior to Eugenie's wedding.

Unfortunately, it's not just adults who have suffered in the aftermath of Megxit, with the royal family snubbing Harry and Meghan's kids on multiple occasions. By apparently taking a stance against the Sussexes, and in turn their joyful pregnancy news, Ferguson was essentially contributing to rhetoric against the couple. However, Eugenie didn't appear to take the issue to heart. According to sources who spoke to Us Weekly in 2021, Eugenie was maintaining a close relationship with Meghan following her and Harry's relocation to the U.S. "They are sort of an unlikely pair, but remain in contact," an insider explained. "They bond over their pregnancies."

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their departure from royal life in 2020, members of the royal family were aghast. Queen Elizabeth II, for instance, was reportedly upset by her grandson's decision to step back, while King Charles was said to be furious. However, Sarah Ferguson could see Harry and Meghan's point of view.

Appearing on Italian talk show "Porta a Porta" (via People) in 2021, Ferguson defended the Sussexes, arguing that Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, would share her stance. "The most important thing—and I know Diana, if she were here, would say that—is they are happy," she said. "And she makes him happy. And I love to see that little boy that cried at the funeral to have happiness now."

She echoed such sentiments in a chat with "Good Morning Britain" (via Hello!) two years later. "Duch, as I called her, was all about as we all know, losing the stigma of AIDS, all about being true to her heart," she said. "Her heart would say my boys have done really well, they look so happy in their own family units, and they have beautiful children." Seemingly referencing abuse suffered by the couple, Ferguson suggested that social media trolling had gone too far and thus normalized dehumanizing people. As such, she declared that folks need to be kinder to one another.

Once characterized as greedy and attention-hungry, Sarah Ferguson knows what it's like to be judged for her behavior. As such, she has made it clear that she would never judge Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for their post-Megxit actions. Alluding to the racism that Meghan had suffered at the hands of the British press, Ferguson told "Good Morning America" in 2021 that everyone has a right to express themselves openly. "I personally would never be able to judge another, so I just am not like that," she said. "I wish Harry and Meghan so much happiness."

As someone who has frequently spoken to the press about the minutiae of her personal life, Ferguson has also avoided casting aspersions on Harry and Meghan for their media appearances. When the topic of the couple's titular Netflix series arose during Ferguson's chat with The Telegraph in 2023, she was careful not to throw any shade the Sussexes' way. "I love watching everything on Netflix ... I also think that one day I'd like to do a documentary," she offered.

She also declined to criticize the couple for relocating to the U.S., drawing comparisons with her own experiences. "I will say that after I got divorced, I spent 12 years in America, writing books, and it was a wonderful place for me ... So, I can understand why he would [do that]," she said.

Once persona non grata, Sarah Ferguson has gradually been making a major royal comeback. One way she has seemingly ingratiated herself with the royals is by taking sides in the Megxit drama. As the old adage goes, you are the company you keep. In Ferguson's case, she has been on friendly terms with Piers Morgan, who is one of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's most outspoken critics.

In 2021, Morgan stepped back from "Good Morning Britain" after making disparaging remarks about Meghan that made light of her mental health struggles. He claimed that Meghan was lying about feeling suicidal during her time in the royal family. "I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn't believe it if she read me a weather report," he declared in an assertion that garnered over 41,000 complaints. He later claimed that a number of royals offered their support following his contentious remarks.

Writing for the Daily Mail after being dropped by ITV, Morgan divulged that Ferguson was one of the royals who had his back, having sent him a message of support. "'People have said how much they miss your morning joy and humor,' texted Sarah, Duchess of York, 'get back out there!'" Morgan wrote. By siding with Morgan, who, incidentally, is also believed to be a close friend of Queen Camilla, Ferguson was essentially signifying her allegiance to The Firm amid the Megxit saga.

Sarah Ferguson hasn't been all praise and platitudes for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In a 2023 interview with The Independent, she offered a different perspective on the Sussexes cutting ties with The Firm, seemingly suggesting that they had no right to complain about being snubbed by senior royals.

Asked about her own departure from royal life, Ferguson appeared to draw comparisons between herself and Harry and Meghan. "Well, you can't have it both ways," she reflected. "You can't sit on the fence and keep one foot in and one foot out. You're either in or out. But then don't cry about not being invited to weddings. You chose to leave, now go and live it — and be it."

Ferguson also offered sympathy to King Charles III in the wake of his rift with Harry. It was an unusual move considering that Ferguson and the monarch have a long history of bad blood. In 1999, for instance, she claimed that Charles had abandoned her and refused to let her see his sons. In the lead-up to Harry's wedding almost 20 years later, it was alleged that Charles couldn't stand Ferguson. But in the duchess' chat with The Independent, she had nothing but kind words for Princess Diana's ex, something which was, perhaps, also a strategic move on her part. "I don't know how he's managing. I really don't," she said.

Few royals have been able to establish successful careers away from The Firm. Prince Harry's uncle, Prince Edward, for instance, made a disastrous attempt at a career in TV production. Even the reigning monarch, King Charles III, was mocked over his side hustle into urban planning, the result of which was the much panned toy town Poundbury. Since leaving the royal family, Harry and Meghan Markle have dabbled in their own career paths, from writing to influencing, and, of course, their media careers.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in 2021, Sarah Ferguson praised Harry and Meghan for pursuing their own distinct paths in life. "I think the fact that Meghan's written a children's book is really good, well done her, because anyone that sits there writing a book, it's really hard," she said. Similarly, she waxed lyrical about Harry, deeming him a good person who deserves compassion and support.

Appearing on Australian TV (via Express) in 2023, she argued that Harry and Meghan were brave for figuring out what they wanted in life, paving the way for others to do the same. "The thing is — and I'm really adamant about this — is that anyone that is out there really trailblazing for their own beliefs, and it doesn't matter where you're from or who you are, you trailblaze for what you believe ... That's very brave," she said.

Though it has long been believed that Sarah Ferguson helped Meghan Markle into the fold when she first began dating Prince Harry, the Duchess of York has since claimed that she didn't have much of a relationship with the "Suits" alum. "I don't really know Meghan," she told The Telegraph in 2023. "I haven't really met her. I spoke to her at the funeral, and I thought she looked absolutely beautiful. I think she is beautiful." It was an odd revelation considering that, for so long, Ferguson was one of the only people close to The Firm who had defended Harry and Meghan.

There's a possibility that Ferguson's remarks, which were published just two months after the release of Harry's memoir, may have been the result of her nephew's stance against Prince Andrew. In "Spare," Harry accused the royal family of being hypocritical in its treatment of Meghan versus Andrew. "Despite being embroiled in a shameful scandal, accused of sexually assaulting a young girl, no one had even suggested removing his security," he wrote. "People have had plenty of reasons to complain about us, sex crimes weren't one of them." It marked the first time a royal had publicly condemned Andrew. Ferguson, meanwhile, has had nothing but praise for her ex-husband in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. But it remains unknown whether Harry's uncompromising takedown of Andrew led to the apparent dissolution of his bond with Ferguson.

There are subtle signs that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are staging a team Sussex comeback. To get there, they may need the help of someone who was similarly banished from the House of Windsor, only to be allowed back into the fold.

Speaking to the Mirror in 2024, royal author Tom Quinn claimed that Sarah Ferguson was trying to act as a mediator between Harry and Meghan and the royal family. Quinn explained that Ferguson herself had learned the hard way that battling the royals is a fruitless endeavor, something that she apparently wanted to impart to the Sussexes. "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," the author explained.

But Quinn argued that Harry would rather continue his feud with the royals as it has supposedly become an integral part of his brand. "Sarah and her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie have tried to intervene in the feud between William and King Charles and Harry and Meghan — 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," he continued. It remains to be seen whether Harry will, in time, heed the advice of his aunt, or continue being the rebel prince.

If you or anyone you know needs help with mental health issues or may be the victim of sexual assault, contact the relevant resources below:

•  To reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

• Message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
  

• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).