Sarah Ferguson grateful at Royals' Sandringham Christmas invitation

27 December 2023 , 08:28

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Sarah Ferguson wrote about feeling ''grateful' after appearing at Sandringham (Image: Geoff Robinson / SplashNews.com)

Sarah Ferguson has said she is feeling 'grateful' after being invited to Sandringham for the Royal Family's Christmas getaway.

The Duchess of York joined senior members of The Firm for the first time in 30 years as they greeted well-wishers outside St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day. She had not been seen with the royals at their Norfolk residence since her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996.

In a new post on Instagram showing her sharing a beaming smile with daughters Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, Fergie spoke of the family's happiness and wished her followers a Merry Christmas.

She wrote in her caption accompanying the photo: "We are enjoying each other’s company and feeling grateful today. "I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Happy Christmas to anyone who celebrates and season’s greetings to all!"

A new post on Instagram showed Fergie sharing a beaming smile with daughters Princess Beatrice and Eugenie (@sarahferguson15/Instagram)

Photographs taken outside the church showed the Princess Beatrice with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Prince Eugenie with Jack Brooksbank. Queen Camilla’s family, including her children Tom Parker Bowles and his younger sister Laura Lopes, were also each invited with their children to spend Christmas at Sandringham with the royals.

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Royal Christmases traditionally feature the greeting of people outside the church, and a family lunch with turkey and all the trimmings. Sandringham House has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs for more than 160 years, and now belongs to the King. The royals are said to partake in family activities like Charades or jigsaw puzzles if they spend time indoors, after which they enjoy a buffet dinner. In line with their German heritage, they exchange presents on Christmas Eve, the day they all arrive at Sandringham.

The Duchess of York had not been seen on the Christmas Day walk in 30 years (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

In his second-ever Christmas message broadcast on Monday, King Charles praised Britain’s "selfless army" of volunteers devoting time to communities across the country. In the address recorded at Buckingham Palace, Charles described the thousands of community heroes as the "essential backbone of our society". The monarch implored the nation to learn from the community stalwarts he chose among the guests for his coronation in May this year, saying they embodied the “call to us all to serve one another". The room was also seen decorated with a living Christmas tree, which will be replanted after the broadcast.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas