I honestly don’t hate the fact that we’re getting so many stories about Princess Eugenie’s upcoming wedding. It’s a little more than two months away, and I’m quite excited about it. Not Meg-and-Harry-level excitement, but still. Eugenie and her mom and dad are going to pull out all the stops to ensure that she has a grand, attention-grabbing wedding at Windsor. It was always going to be the case that Prince Andrew would want that for his daughter – since he believes his daughters should be bigger public figures – but I’m slightly surprised by just how much Sarah Ferguson has gotten involved. Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl even did a lengthy piece about Fergie’s involvement in the wedding planning – go here to read. According to Nicholl’s sources, Fergie sees Eugenie’s wedding her big opportunity to come out of the cold, after decades of being ostracized from the Windsor establishment. Some highlights:
At Prince Harry’s wedding: Fergie came by herself, and Jack Brooksbank met her at the door and took her to her seat – she was relegated to a seat further back in the church, presumably so that she was not in sight of Prince Philip.
The Philip conundrum: There is no love lost between the Duke of Edinburgh and his former daughter-in-law; sources close to the duke say he can’t bear to be in the same room as Fergie, which poses a tricky family dilemma. If the 97-year-old duke is fit enough to attend Princess Eugenie’s wedding—and he is close to his granddaughter—he will be forced to put on his best poker face.
Fergie’s plans for Eugenie’s wedding: For make no mistake, this mother of the bride plans to have a central role on her daughter’s big day. According to friends, she has already had meetings with several dress designers as she searches for the perfect outfit for the wedding and evening party, which she and Prince Andrew plan to host. While the Queen will host a reception after the wedding at Windsor Castle, just as she did for Meghan and Harry, the wedding party will be held on the grounds of Royal Lodge, the Yorks’ family home in Windsor. “Sarah and Andrew are helping to organize the evening party. The plan is for a marquee to be set up in the grounds and dancing late into the night,” said a source helping with the event. “Eugenie and Jack are planning the whole thing but Sarah and Andrew are very involved. Sarah is bringing a very eclectic and exciting guest list to Windsor.”
Eugenie is happy to have her mom so involved: “There’s a lot of excitement about the day. Sarah and Andrew are just thrilled Euge is getting married and they are all very much in the planning stages at the moment. Sarah is being very hands-on, but in a great way, and Eugenie wants her mum to be a big part of it all and will make sure Sarah is included in every aspect. Her feeling is the other royals will have to get on with it.”
The Queen is actually a fan of Fergie: The Queen has always shown kindness to her former daughter-in-law, inviting her to Balmoral in recent years (not while the duke is in residence) and into the royal box at Royal Ascot. The Queen is said to respect the fact that Sarah and Andrew have remained friends since their divorce in 1996. They are so close that many in their circle have openly wondered if they might remarry, “but that will never happen while the duke is alive,” according to a friend. Having raised their daughters together, they still vacation together (they co-own a chalet in Verbier) and when she’s in the U.K. Sarah stays at Andrew’s home Royal Lodge in Windsor, where she has her own designated bedroom.
I thought Nicholl’s piece was very interesting for several reasons. Fergie and Andrew clearly want to drum up more interest in Eugenie’s wedding, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Fergie and Andrew were plotting together to “remake” Fergie into a more comfortable and harmless mother-of-the-bride figure after years of scandal. But the VF piece also reminded everyone of the simple fact that Philip absolutely loathes Fergie. How deep is his hatred for his former daughter-in-law? It’s still so deep that he might actually skip his granddaughter’s wedding.
Will Prince Philip attend the wedding of his granddaughter Princess Eugenie in October? Philip, 97, who is retired from public life and underwent a hip replacement operation in April, has been on frosty terms with Eugenie’s mother Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, since she separated from Prince Andrew in 1992.
He did, however, make it for that other royal wedding of 2018 — that of Eugenie’s cousin Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. “He does what he wants,” says a well-placed insider in this week’s issue of PEOPLE. “He made a supreme effort for Harry. I would be very surprised if he did go, because he is so estranged from Fergie. I think he will decide at the 99th hour.”
I was actually somewhat surprised that Philip came out for Harry’s wedding, especially considering that he had just come out of the hospital at that point. I’m not aware of Philip having any problems with the York princesses, so if he didn’t attend, it would be just because of Fergie’s presence. And Fergie’s not going anywhere. So I don’t know. Would Philip really skip out? As the royal courtiers say, HE DO WHAT HE WANT.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Pacific Coast News.
He is racist TRASH. He is so VILE.
I know. Who cares if he goes to the wedding or that he doesn’t like fergie?
As for Andrew, a whole other can of worms, that one. I don’t know why this is all being glossed over.
Agree – he is a racist, classist and misogynistic arse and I’m sick of his hateful words being whitewashed as ‘gaffes’.
If he is shitty and petty enough to punish his granddaughter for being close to her mum, by not turning up to her wedding, then F him.
Racist sexist trash. What a disgusting person. Selfish prick. Maybe he should have a boys night out with Meg’s so called father.
I don’t think Philip would skip the wedding. He showed up for Harry’s, knowing Fergie would be there. I think the only thing preventing an appearance is his health.
Fergie is the mother of the bride and should be allowed that role and all that goes with it. Like many people with sons or daughters who are divorced, and the grandparents are going to grandchildren celebrations, Prince Phillip will just have to cope with the ex or miss the wedding. I hope he puts of his granddaughter first and attends her wedding.
If he did skip for that reason, how childish and petty. I tend to think, however, that health would be the only reason to skip. By all accounts, Phillip has been a pretty good grandfather and is reported to adore his grandchildren.
Is he in junior high? Why the dramz? Just don’t talk to her.
Out of everything and everyone, this is Philip’s line in the sand?
Lol. I do wonder if he supposedly hates her for the public affairs, or for the greater crime of being caught on camera selling access to Andrew. And does anyone think Andrew had a problem with the latter?
There’s no way that Andrew wasn’t in on that scandal, but Fergie took all the blame.
I don’t think he gave a flying you know what about what she did, but rather that she was publicly outed, and that caused embarrassment to The Firm, again, not WHAT she actually did. God knows he’s been just as bad in his ways.
Also, Eugenie looks very lovely in that white dress. First time I’ve ever thought that a dress actually suited her figure, or her fashion sense lol
A lot of moms play a big role in their daughter’s wedding. Not sure why Fergie would be any different..
+1
If he truly loves his granddaughter and I believe he does, he’ll be there, unless his health doesn’t permit. It’s her big day, not her mother’s. She will remember his absence or presence.
The question is, does he love his granddaughter more than he hates her mother?
He is 97, so his health could be the reason for his absence. But I agree with Betty Rose. He doesn’t have to talk to her. It seems that the RF like to carry grudges. The Duke of Windsor and his wife were banished pretty well forever, the Queen finally paid a short visit when he was dying. And the duchess was left to her own devices at Buckingham Palace at the Duke’s funeral while the royals left for Windsor. The fact that Margaret’s shenanigans were as bad if not worse totally escapes them. And not to mention rumours about Phillip himself.
With all due respect the Duke & Duchess of Windsor were Nazi’s, hence why they are buried away from the rest of the family and were treated so badly.
Margaret wasn’t a nazi lover.
One of those things is not like the others. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were not only Nazis, they almost brought down the monarchy. That’s a lot worse than Margaret’s shenanigans or Philip’s “carriage driving.”
Philip will do what he wants. If he isn’t there, we’ll hear about his ill health from the palace, whether it’s true or not.
I bet Prince Philip will not attend if he truly hates Fergie.
At 97 I’m sure he doesn’t care and it’s not like he is walking the bride down the aisle.
Not looking forward to seeing some relatives at my son’s upcoming wedding, and there are very few people I don’t like in this world!! But it’s not about me, so I will do my best to avoid them, and will be cordial if I have to see them! That’s what you DO, unless you’re a jerk and make someone else’s big day about yourself.
Nikki:
IKR? That’s what a wedding is, an event for avoiding estranged family (in addition to wishing the young couple all the best). There’s always awkwardness and often a misguided drunken toast, but like . . that’s life. You go to support the ones you love regardless of the ones you’d rather not see.
Can someone update me with the reason why he despises Fergie so much? I remember well all of the drama surrounding her departure from the family, so its probably just the obvious; but he manages with Camilla just fine and she came with a fair bit of hair on her… this sounds like there is a special story I am missing!
Will he go to the wedding? Yes. (unless he is dead)
Will he go to the reception? ehhhh
I’ll wait and see if this is true. There were dozens of articles saying that the Queen wasn’t going to attend or allow Harry and Meghan’s wedding. We all know that was a lie.
He’ll go unless he physically can’t. He went to Harrys knowing she would be there, he’ll go to Eugenie’s too. They sat in a church together for an hour and him and the Queen never stay long at the afters anyway. So he’ll man up and do it for his grand-daughter unless he can’t.
Manufacturered drama. Phillip will attend Eugenies wedding.
I think so too.
Build a bridge Prince and get over it.
Fergie looks good on the header picture. I only have vague memories of the split but it’s not like skilled anyone or hung out with pedophile (side eyes Andrew)
Phil had a lonnng term affair with Fergie’s mother. The wealthy truly are different.
So, Fergie’s his daughter? LOL.
Suzanne Barantes (F’s mum) had an affair with everyone it seemed in that era.
No kidding??? DAMN, that’s awkward!
If he truly pulls this crap, then he’s no longer a man.
Andrew’s scandals have always been 828374394x worse. And he was in on half of Fergie’s. Such BS.
I read once that Fergie’s mother was one of Philip’s rumoured affairs way back when. Maybe that’s the reason for the antipathy.
On the other hand I also just read that Anne dated Andrew Parker-Bowles at the same time as he was dating Camilla, around the time Camilla started shagging Charles (pre-Diana), so it would actually be the norm for two degrees of sexual separation in this family.
I don’t think Philip takes issues with the affairs. I think he takes issue with how she was caught, Oprah interviews, Dr Phil interviews, nearly ending up in prison in Turkey, taking £500k from a mad despot and all the other bullcrap we know nothing about.
I think he just despises how stupid she is.
Yeah the circumstances with Fergie were really embarrassing-that’s why he hates her so much. In the aristocracy after there are already a few legitimate children they tend to look the other way if both parties are discreet. But if you’re making tons of splashes that’s going to get you in trouble.
@Murphy there are pictures of her naked on the internets with said financier sucking her toes in full view of her two toddlers who were playing nearby.
Also don’t forget she was having an affair with the financier AND his friend at the same time. She was actually in love with the friend but he later married someone else.
Then there was the whole legal case to try and suppress the pictures which failed (rumours that RF deliberately didn’t help her to embarrass her). So in the end she was screwed, humiliated and the pictures were printed whilst the whole family were holidaying in Balmoral.
She had to take the children with her and leave immediately and Andrew was humiliated.
If I remember correctly the issue was not that she was caught shagging two other men, it was that she didn’t give the RF all the details and square up quickly enough so they could manage it and minimise the damage. In the end they had to throw her to the wolves to save themselves and even Margaret went full terminator on her (hypocrite).
My understanding now is that they’re pretty open with each other in the ‘Firm’ for that reason and disclose any infidelities and stupidness up front so they can manage it together and no one is ambushed,
Yep. She didn’t just have scandals, she had spectacularly dodgy and stupid scandals, and then she fanned the flames by talking about them publicly and digging herself deeper. Maybe people forget because no one’s paid her much attention in a while, but she was a real embarrassment for a long time. It was like if someone as dumb and grasping and fame-hungry as Samantha Markle was actually part of the family.
Andrew’s a terrible person too, but he’s not giving Oprah interviews about it, and he’s the Queen’s favourite by a mile, so not much Philip can do about him except look exasperated.
@DizzyLizzy Uh Yeah…that’s why I said “really embarrassing”
@Ally – from what I remember reading in Diana’s biographies, Anne did more than “date” Andrew Parker-Bowles. In fact, from what I read, APB did almost everyone in their social set, as he had a reputation as being, um, how can I put this delicately – really Great At It; as they say, “a real stick-man” (a term innocent me only discovered in reading about William Holden and Gary Cooper, who had similar reputations – I’d never heard the term before).
Fergie went to Harry’s wedding and he survived. Suck it up grandpa, it’s not about you!
Fergie’s presence (hidden from Phillip’s view) at her former nephew’s wedding will be massively different from her presence at her own daughter’s wedding where she will likely have a big role as mother of the bride. Apples and oranges to compare the two.
Well then mother-of-the-bride, make Phillip sit in the back of the church. Lol! Payback’s a bitch!
Meh…Fergie is shady AF. Always has been. However, like it or not, she’s a “member of the family,” so Phillip just needs to deal with it.
I was too young to remember all the drama surrounding Prince Andrew’s divorce to Fergie (mostly just see the same toe sucking incident brought up over and over and to my knowledge Andrew and Fergie were separated at that time) and I haven’t been bothered to do much research. From what I understand, Fergie is kind of shady, but Andrew is even shadier and should be shunned. Not sure why Philip hates Fergie so much when his own son is the shadiest of the shadiest.
As for Philip, so thankful he is not my grandfather. If he decides not to go, I would think it would be because of his health. Surely he had to realize at some point the York sisters would get married and Fergie would obviously be involved and be present. She is still their mother after all. If he doesn’t go because of that, he is being a petty old man.
Weddings and funerals are family reunions, for better or worse.
I find Prince Andrew’s friendship/entanglements with Jeffrey Epstein far more disgusting than anything Fergie has ever done.
@Skyblue – Second that! Gracelessness and bad judgment is nada next to pedophilia!
Absolutely! And there are also those mysterious Kazakhstan friends… Are they the same friends Manafort has entanglements with? How did he sell his home for 3 million more than it was worth and then they totally bulldozed it down?!
Not a particular fan of Fergie’s here, but Philip should put his feelings for his granddaughter’s joy in her family wedding first and be civil. No one says he has to make small talk with Fergie or even sit near her. He’s not the father of the bride, he’s the grandfather. He just has to smile at his granddaughter and be part of the photographs.
In his shoes, I’d switch the focus on how glad I am that I’m even able to get dressed and follow the service in the shape he’s in, than old grudges against a feckless former daughter-in-law.
I mean, it was a long time ago, life goes on, you’re fine, she’s fine, the granddaughter is fine. Get over yourself.
A story about Philip… He wanted his boys to be manly men so sent them to a boarding school in Scotland that is more like boot camp. Like his brothers, Prince Edward joined the military and selected the Royal Marines. He dropped out of their basic training partway through. The training is more like the USN SEAL’s course which means ‘brutal’.
Rumors were that Philip berated his son to near tears. It seems that wasn’t the case. It was the Queen that was most upset with Edward for failing to do his duty. Philip, on the other hand, was disappointed but also proud that his son took a stand for what he believed in. Also that he didn’t try and become an officer that didn’t have what it took to lead men into battle.
I think Edward had it much easier than Charles. Being sixteen years younger I guess and also being Phillip’s favorite son.
Mother and daughter look great in the first picture.
At 97 he has no f***s to give and WILL do exactly as he pleases and could not care less what anyone thinks he should do. He isn’t that fond of Andrew either (a whole other story) so this OTT wedding orchestrated by Andy and Fergie to compete with Harry’s wedding , could put him right off as well.
The York Princesses have been long tipped as favourites of their grandparents, whilst their parents…are not. They will attend the ceremony, health genuinely permitting, but skip as much else as possible.
I am currently wearing the grey version of Eugenie’s white dress.
Soo… Vanity Fair and People are all believable when it comes to these stories, but they are completely false/fake news, lies, and BS when it comes to Meghan? Lol. Okay, then….
Some years back my hubbys friend sent us an invitation to her wedding to her 2nd husband. I was thoroughly disgusted by the awful way she dumped husband #1 who was a quiet decent guy. I told my hub if it was up to me I’d send regrets. But he wanted to go so I went along b/c he asked me to. I’m pretty sure I had a stick up my ass the whole time and I did have a few glasses of champagne and then told a mutual friend exactly what I thought of the brides shitty behavior knowing full well it would get right back to her. Yes I did act like a petty bitch. DGAF. When it’s a close relative getting married though, you should consider it a family obligation and go. You don’t have to stay till last call but you should go. Phil should show up for his granddaughter. He can still pass Fergie in the reception line with just a cool nod.
Fergie is a scapegoat. They are all shady.