02 March 2024 , 19:27
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The late Queen Elizabeth and her former daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson maintained a strong bond despite Prince Andrew and Sarah's separation in 1992 and their divorce four years later.
Following their split the former couple have been referred to as "the happiest divorced couple in the world" and even shared a home at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Sarah also never lost the Queen's affection. They often spent quality time together indulging in their shared interests.
In fact, the year after their divorce, the Queen demonstrated her continued care for Sarah by buying the Duchess of York a spacious house in Surrey for her to live in with her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. However, Sarah never actually lived there. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie had a close relationship with their grandmother, spending much of their childhood on the Windsor Estate near Sunninghill Park and Royal Lodge.
Following Sarah and Prince Andrew's divorce, the Queen acquired Birch Hall, a seven-bedroom residence in Surrey, for her granddaughters to share with their mother and use as they got older, reports OK!. Despite this kind gesture, Sarah reportedly declined to move into the house due to its substantial maintenance costs. As a result, it remained unoccupied for two years before being sold for £1.5 million in 1999.
Fergie and the late Queen shared similar interests (1990 Georges DeKeerle)
Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (@sarahferguson15/Instagram)When the Queen died in September 2022, Sarah shared her heartbreak online. On Twitter, she wrote: "I am heartbroken by the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy: the most fantastic example of duty and service and steadfastness, and a constant steadying presence as our head of state for more than 70 years.
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"She has given her whole life selflessly to the people of the UK and the Commonwealth. To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce. I will miss her more than words can express."
Despite their divorce, Sarah and Andrew remained close friends and brought up their two daughters together. Ingrid Seward, who edits Majesty Magazine, once said that their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie "love that their parents get on so well."
In a rare chat with The Telegraph, Sarah didn't shy away from discussing their close bond and or quash rumours they might tie the knot again one day. She said: "All I can say is that we're happy with the way we are right now. We always say we are the most contented divorced couple in the world. We're divorced to each other, not from each other. We are co-parents who support each other and believe that family is everything. I'm proud of the job we have done together in bringing up our children and sustaining a strong family unit. Our bywords are communication, compromise and compassion."