What a ride it’s been! Fergie and Andrew get close before Eugenie’s big day
PLANNING a wedding can be stressful for the parents of any bride – but for the Duke and Duchess of York, Eugenie’s imminent nuptials appear to have brought them closer.
The pair appeared in high spirits as they were seen riding out over the weekend at Windsor Castle, accompanied by elder daughter Beatrice, 30.
Prince Andrew and his ex-wife sarah Ferguson borrowed the Queen’s horses on saturday before trotting around the estate, days ahead of Friday’s wedding there. Princess Eugenie, 28, will tie the knot with wine merchant Jack Brooksbank, 32, at st George’s Chapel.
‘Planning for the wedding has brought Andrew and sarah closer together and made them realise how important their
‘Spark is still there between them’
family is to them,’ a close friend told the sunday Express. ‘They have loved being involved, making sure Eugenie and Jack have a great day and they have spent a lot of time in each other’s company.
‘You can see the spark is still there between them – they share the same sense of humour, the same sense of fun and both adore their daughters and Jack.’
Although they have been divorced for more than 20 years, the prince and sarah – known as Fergie – say they are the best of friends. The pair, both 58, co-own a chalet in the swiss ski resort of Verbier and sarah keeps a room at Royal lodge, Windsor, where Andrew lives. neither are known as keen horse riders, but Prince Andrew’s appointment as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards means he will need to ride during ceremonial duties.
‘sarah decided to join him and they looked like they loved every minute of it. like any parents, they are nervous and hope the big day goes well and this was the perfect way to unwind and relax for a short time,’ the source said.
The closeness between the former couple may refuel rumours that they could reunite. They married in 1986, but with Prince Andrew away with the Royal navy, the marriage broke down. sarah had an affair with Texan oilman steve Wyatt and was then snapped having her toes sucked by American financial adviser John Bryant. They divorced in 1996.
In 2001, sarah said in an interview that she and Andrew had discussed remarrying, but Prince Philip would not allow it. In the same year, Andrew told Tatler magazine: ‘I don’t rule remarriage out.’