Sarah Ferguson's Royal Return After Scandal "Would Never Have Happened While Prince Philip Was Alive"

After Sarah Ferguson's highly publicized split from Prince Andrew, culminating in the infamous toe-sucking scandal, it seemed very unlikely that she would ever join the Royal Family in any capacity ever again. After all, she was once caught on tape trying to sell stories about the family to the press. However, after Prince Andrew became embroiled in his sex abuse scandal, Fergie surprisingly started reappearing on the scene.

Not only did she seem to move back in with her former husband, but when the Queen passed away in September 2022, the Duchess became a royal dog watcher, inheriting the Queen's pups. Earlier this week, it was even revealed that Fergie was scoring an invite to the Royal Family's annual holiday celebration, something that "would never have happened while Prince Philip was alive," says one source. 

According to reports, Prince Andrew and Fergie were invited to spend the holiday with the rest of the family. This marks the first time in over three decades that she will clink glasses with Andrew's family. Royal expert and biographer Phil Dampier told The Daily Mail that any "invite" is a sign of Charles being "forgiving and kind."

"This looks like an olive branch from King Charles to his brother, who is otherwise out in the cold," Dampier told the publication. "He is still a member of the family and by inviting ex wife Fergie it looks as though Charles is being forgiving and kind."

According to one source, there is someone in the family who would have never allowed Fergie to spend the holiday with the family. "It would never have happened while Prince Philip was alive," they told the publication, adding that "Fergie spent many Christmases on her own at Wood Farm while the rest of the royals were in the big house."

Now, "it makes sense for them all to be invited, including the Duchess of York," especially since Fergie's daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, are all grown up and have their own children. However, Dampier does not believe that it signifies Fergie officially returning to the Family. "'This will please Andrew but I still don't think he and Sarah will ever remarry."

"Andrew is banned from public life but you can't ban him from family Christmas. Staff at Sandringham have been tasked with getting Wood Farm ready for the whole York family," a source told  The Sun. "When she split with Andrew, Sarah was never allowed at the family Christmas Eve and Christmas Day while Philip and the Queen were alive," the source added to The Sun. "For 30 years she used to have Christmas dinner on her own. But things are being done differently now."