ROYALS

How Princess Diana got involved in Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s romance

Royal matchmaker?
Loading the player...

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew share a loving yet very complex relationship, and it turns out their sometimes rocky romance is all thanks to the late Princess Diana.

WATCH: Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ honeymoon heartbreak

Sarah Ferguson, or ‘Fergie’ as she is sometimes more affectionally called, married into the royal family in 1986 when she tied the knot with the Duke of York at a ceremony in Westminster Abbey. 

While the Princess of Wales always shared a special connection with her sister and brother-in-law, it was, in fact, Diana that played the largest role in getting the Duke and Duchess of York together. 

charles
(Credit: Getty)

Writing about the royal romance that has captured our attention for years, biographer Ingrid Seward detailed how Sarah and Andrew met at Ascot in the summer of 1985. 

“[Sarah’s] acquaintanceship with the Princess of Wales had developed into a close friendship and while the Windsor gathering was very much the Sovereign’s private gathering, she enjoys the company of younger people and naturally enough sought the guidance of her daughter-in-law when she came to draw up the guest lists.

“Sarah was the obvious choice.” 

fergie
(Credit: Getty)

Ms Seward continued: “The right age, the right background, and already on familiar terms with the Royal Family.”

Ms Seward writes that Diana purposefully placed her friend red-headed friend next to Andrew at the Royal Ascot lunch. 

“The Princess, an incorrigible romantic, may have been trying her hand at a little matchmaking.” 

While Diana and Sarah were initially good friends, the pair had an infamously rocky relationship after Diana allowed Her Majesty to believe that Fergie leaked the news of her separation from ex-husband Andrew. 

fergie
(Credit: Getty)

Due to this incident, Fergie and Diana were not on speaking terms the year the Princess of Wales passed away. 

Fergie and Andrew would go on to have two children together, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, and the former couple continues to remain best friends. 

Related stories

jameswindsor-jameswessex-ladylouise-princeedward-sophiewessex-dukeandduchessofedinburgh 00:29
ROYALS

Meet Queen Elizabeth’s youngest grandchild James

As the youngest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, James, Earl of Wessex has lived his entire life in the spotlight. At just 16 years of age, the teenager is already one of the most famous faces in the world.  But, thanks to the efforts of his father Prince Edward, and mother Sophie, Duchess […]