Sarah Ferguson Unfazed by Lack of Invitation to King Charles' Coronation Ceremony
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has expressed that she did not anticipate an invitation to the upcoming coronation of King Charles III. Numerous outlets, including the BBC and People, reported this week that King Charles III excluded Prince Andrew's ex-wife from the guest list for his and Queen Consort Camilla's crowning ceremony in London next month.
During an appearance on the ITV talk show "Loose Women" earlier this month, Ferguson shared her plans for the day of the coronation. "I personally will be having a little tearoom and coronation chicken sandwich and putting out the bunting, that's what I'm going to be doing. Because that would make me very happy," she said. "I also love to watch it on the telly because you hear a lot on the telly. The commentators are always good. And then all the family come back."
Ferguson acknowledged that she understood King Charles' decision not to invite her, saying, "because, remember, I am divorced from [Prince Andrew]." The Duchess added, "You can't have it both ways. You can't be divorced and then say, 'I want this.' You're in or you're out."
Sarah Ferguson married Prince Andrew in 1986, and they have two daughters, Princess Beatrice, 34, and Princess Eugenie, 33. The couple separated after six years of marriage in 1992, with their divorce finalized in 1996.
Royal correspondent and "Finding Freedom" co-author Omid Scobie commented on the news of Ferguson's exclusion from the event, tweeting, "If true, this feels kinda cruel, no?" Social media users expressed mixed opinions about the King's decision to leave her off the guest list.
One person commented, "But isn't this the coronation that was supposed to represent a 'modern blended family'?" referring to the inclusion of Camilla's children and grandchildren from her previous marriage. Author and investor Ashley Theophane responded to Scobie's tweet, saying, "She's always been an outsider, so not really."
Despite not receiving an invitation to the coronation, Ferguson has maintained close ties with the royal family, celebrating Christmas and Easter with them in recent months. In an interview with People, the Duchess of York expressed her support for King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla before their coronation.
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6.