Royal Snub: No Wedding Invite for Sarah Ferguson?

By Christine Fenno Posted Feb 19th 2011 02:34PM

While the groom's first cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenia, will be VIP guests at Prince William and Kate Middleton's April 29 nuptials, their mother -- the Duchess of York -- won't be included in any royal wedding festivities.

Why the snub? Sarah Ferguson, 51, was married for a decade to Prince Andrew (Prince William's paternal uncle) until her tabloid-mocked infidelities led to divorce in 1996; the exes quietly went on to raise their daughters as single parents. Last year, a mortifying undercover sting caught Sarah soliciting bribe money to "open doors" to her influential ex. The shamed royal will soon attempt image rehab with a new reality series, 'Finding Sarah,' on Oprah Winfrey's OWN channel.

But with 1,900 royal invitations being dispatched around the world for what could be the most expensive wedding ever, is the duchess appalled at being left out? According to People.com, her rep confirms that Ferguson plans to be overseas in late April, and calls the snub no surprise: "She will not be attending. She never expected to be invited."

The spokesperson adds that Ferguson -- historically an embarrassing spotlight-stealer in the royal family's view -- has deliberately tried to avoid all wedding-related attention, shunning interview opportunities about the couple, ever since William and Kate's engagement made international headlines. "She has declined all commercial work relating to the wedding," her rep says.

Perhaps the Duchess of York's absence suits the Palace because the Windsors want all eyes focused on one thing: William and Kate's young love. It's the very thing the happy-go-lucky bride Sarah and her Prince Andrew were once celebrated for (before their shocking split) -- a glamorous, untainted-by-scandal storybook romance.

Tags: duchess of york, Kate Middleton, Prince William, royal wedding, sarah ferguson

Comments

(62)

Saturday 19 February

By Bev

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I would be more surprised if she were invited

Vote down Vote up Report this

Lee: Get it right she was NOT invited

Sunday 20 February

By Rooftop Voter

I am crushed; I did not get invited either.

By Nancy

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I am torn - as the mother of William's cousins, I initially thought she should be invited but put in the same situation, I would not invite her.

But I will be there!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Penney

I'm sure her daughters will not attend without her.

By nibblett

@Penney I will take that bet, why wouldnt they, they are grown up young ladies now. They will not stay away, just because their mother wasnt invited...REALLY??? not go to their cousins wedding, not to mention the biggest wedding in years...They will be in the VIP section with their father....But if your so sure, lets wait and see, eh?

By Jenni

Although she did act irresponsibly (gee, did I spell that right?) in the past, we ALL make mistakes. I feel they should have invited her despite the divorce. If scandal was the reason for no invitation then the groom's father and step...eh, mother would certainly not be included for those reasons alone. I'm sure Sarah Ferguson has better things to do.

By CRStardust

Don't let the "spelling Nazi" get you down....

By Russell

The Duchess is not the problem, Camilla is the real royal wart that needs to be kept out and with no publicity of any kind whatsoever.

By Reba

Oh my, you are so right. The old witch shouldn't be anywhere near the wedding. Put her out to pasture where she belongs.
It's a shame what she put Diana thru. Prince Charles is just as bad.....

By joyce

Right! I can't believe they let that low life anywhere near the family ...much less be at the wedding after what she did to diana. Charles is just as bad but I guess they are stuck with
him since he is williams father.

By DeeDee

Did you know that.....The Duchess's 3 year old granddaughter is in the wedding party.
oh my........

Sunday 06 March

By Macy

@Reba...Give me a break? What she put poor little, innocent Diana through.
Diana was a tough broad, and put Charles through hell.

By LISA

DISGRACEFUL................ IF WILLIAM WANTS TO KEEP HIS MOTHER'S MEMORY INCLUDED IN THIS BIG, OVERLY EXPENSIVE WEDDING, THEN FERGIE SHOULD BE THERE. FERGIE WAS ONE OF HIS MOTHER'S BEST FRIENDS. THIS WEDDING WILL BE A FARCE AS NOTHING WILL EVER MEASURE UP TO DIANA. THE QUEEN HAD HER KILLED AS HER BOYFRIEND WAS A MUSLIM. THE QUEEN IS A WITCH AND NEVER WANTED THE BEST PART OF THE ROYAL FAMILY IN IT, DIANA. DIANA "MADE" THE ROYAL FAMILY LIKE NO OTHER IS ROYAL HISTORY.

By D.

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

She can have a little celebritory gathering with Charles' gay lovers who aren't invited either.

By Carm Smith

Why should Sarah Ferguson not be invited? She is not the only "scandal" of the royals. Look what Charles and Camilla did to Diana. Also, hasn't Princess Anne been divorced? Marriages should be a time when everyone gets together to celebrate the new union. Sarah should be invited, and she should be the one to decide whether or not to accept.

By Eliza TAlb

She may be the mother of those girls, but she is no longer part of that family. There was no need to invite her. She certainly has not maintained a relationship with any of the royal family. William's mother ceased contact with her as well before her death.

By Sandi

I'm with you, Eliza. When I married my husband, we did not invite his brother's former wife - we did, however invite my husband's brother as well as his two grown children. The fact her children were invited was no reason to invite the ex-wife of a relative. In the current case of the prince, the relations are even further removed with it being the ex-wife of an uncle. I wouldn't have invited that ex either. Very few "exes" expect invitations to weddings of former relations, whether it's royal or "everyday".

By Carl Smith

Thats a real sick family. The queen is a very hostil & bitter person and that NAZI husband of hers (ie: Battenburg was a philanderer since the day he married queen Elizabeth.
The queen mother, Queen Elizabeth was an alcoholic and her sister was a drug addict and alcoholic,When you think about it the only normal ones were Diana and Ferge.
Lord have mercy on there souls.
Poppy

Monday 21 February

By Lucy Smith

The Queen Mother was an alcoholic? Are you serious? She died at 100+ years- that must be the most long-lived alcoholic in history. Word was she enjoyed the occasional gin and tonic but that does not constitute an alcoholic. Now Princess Margaret, that was another story.

Page 2 of 4