Royals move ‘as unit’

Fergie praises Queen, sides with Royals as Andy faces sex charges

THE Duchess of York has praised the Queen and boldly aligned herself with the family she was effectively exiled from following her 1996 divorce from the Duke of York.

Sarah Ferguson, 61 – who stayed at the Queen’s Balmoral home with Andrew last month – said: “She’s such an extraordinary, legendary, iconic monarch that leads by example... at 95 years old, still carries on. And, for me, we get on with it and we move together as a unit.”

Her comments come after it emerged she could be ordered to testify in the Duke’s sex case. Andrew is being sued in the US, accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre three times – once after she claimed they danced at a London nightclub before going back to his friend Ghislaine Maxwell’s Belgravia mansion.

Andrew has said he couldn’t have been in the capital that night as he had taken his daughter to a birthday party at Pizza Express in Woking. The Duke also said Fergie was away that evening on March 10, 2001 and they had agreed that if one parent was away, the other would stay in with their daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie.

Andrew and Fergie still live together at his Windsor mansion. Lawyers for Ms Giuffre are thought to be keen to quiz the Duchess about his alibi, as well as a British woman who said she saw Andrew at Tramp nightclub the night the alleged assault took place. A source with knowledge of the case said: “The wheels are in motion for both sides. Prince Andrew has been served with official papers, a schedule of how both sides proceed will be drawn up and a list of witnesses on both sides who may be called to testify. The Duchess of York would certainly be on that list.” Andrew has always vehemently denied the allegations. A pre-trial hearing is set for November 3 when both sides are expected to agree scheduling for any trial or whether the case against the Duke is dismissed.

FRENCH fishing representatives have threatened to stop imports to the UK from Calais in the run-up to Christmas.

They feel deceived by the UK Government which they claim didn’t grant enough licences for British waters.

Olivier Lepretre, president of the powerful fishing committee for the northern Hauts-de-france region, insisted blocking the port before the festive period was “an option”.

The Government announced last month it had approved just 12 of 47 applications from French small boats.

But the committee said they worked “meticulously” to provide evidence of fishing activity in the six-to-12 nautical mile zone before Britain left the EU.

Brexit Minister Lord Frost said this week about French fishing rights: “We have been extremely generous.”

The tensions have been long-running, with Navy ships being scrambled to Jersey amid concerns of a blockade.