Sarah Ferguson was all smiles at Heathrow Airport as she jetted off for a pre-Christmas break amid family tension – and there was no sign of Prince Andrew joining her
Sarah Ferguson has jetted off on a festive trip as ‘concern’ mounts for Prince Andrew.
The Duchess of York, who still lives at Royal Lodge in Windsor with her ex-hubby, has previously described their relationship as that of the “happiest divorced couple in the world”
However, Fergie was flying solo as she jetted off the Austrian capital of Vienna, for a spot of seasonal cheer. The picturesque city is famed for its Christmas markets, which attract visitors year after year.
This comes amid an ongoing feud between King Charles and Prince Andrew, with the monarch having reportedly cut financial ties to his younger brother.
Andrew was nowhere to be seen as Sarah jetted off (
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sarahtheduchess/TikTok)
It’s understood to be a tense time for the York family (
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sarahtheduchess/TikTok)
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Taking to TikTok, mum-of-two Fergie shared a clip taken at Heathrow Airport, accompanied by the following caption: “Heading off to Vienna to kick start Christmas. Absolutely love this time of the year and seeing all the joy on peoples faces.”
The Duchess told followers: “It’s Monday and I decided that we need to get the Christmas spirit going. “Heathrow Airport on my way to Vienna. And what am I doing in Vienna? I am going to see [the] Christmas fair.”
Appearing excited for the travel adventures ahead, Fergie continued: “The airports are just so exciting. It’s a new adventure, new day, new journey. Let’s go.”
Prince Andrew is said to be at odds with elder brother King Charles over Royal Lodge (
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REX/Shutterstock)
This comes at a supposedly tense time for the York clan. Daughters Princess Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34, are said to be worried about their father, Prince Andrew, who spends most of his time shut away in the “crumbling” £30 million lodge, five years after his controversial Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis shattered his reputation.
A source told HELLO!: “The girls take the grandchildren to visit him most weekends. They are spending far more time with him now than they have done in recent years. They are quite close to their father; they seem to be quite protective towards him.”
After the Duke of York seemingly refused to move out of the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge, where he and Fergie have lived since 2004, King Charles reportedly withdrew his £1 million living allowance. This has been viewed as an attempt on King Charles’ part to publicly distance himself from Prince Andrew, whose friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has attracted controversy.
The Yorks married in the summer of 1986 (
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Getty Images)
The marriage didn’t last, but they’ve remained good friends (
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WireImage)In an updated version of his book Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, published November 7, royal author Robert Hardman claimed that Charles chose to cut off Andrew financially after being encouraged to do so for months by his advisors.
Following months of alleged infighting behind palace walls, the King is said to have ordered the Keeper of the Privy Purse to cut the disgraced Duke of York’s annual personal allowance, as well as his private security.
A source told The Times: “If Andrew can pay for his own upkeep with legitimate means, then it is not an issue. But the King’s patience has run out when it comes to funding his brother’s lifestyle in a way that does not fit his status.”
Sarah and Andrew married in the summer of 1986 and divorced ten years later in 1996 – four years after their initial separation. Although they’re no longer a couple, they have remained on good terms and even spend Christmas together.
Prince Andrew’s reputation took a battering after his Newsnight interview, but Fergie has stood by him (
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AFP via Getty Images)
As well as daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the former spouses have also welcomed grandchildren Sienna, August, and Ernest. Amid the apparently heated royal row, Sarah spoke with Bella magazine about how she herself deals with family conflict. She revealed: “The three C’s: communicate, compromise, compassion. Family is the most important thing.”
In a 2018 interview with the Daily Mail in 2018, Fergie spoke of how “united” the York family will always be, despite the trials and tribulations they’ve weathered over the years. Clarifying that she was “divorced to” Andrew, not divorced from him, Fergie explained: “We’re the happiest divorced couple in the world. We’re divorced to each other, not from each other.
“My duty is to him. I am so proud of him. I stand by him and always will. The way we are is our fairytale.” The Duchess continued: “The Yorks are a united family. We’ve shown it.”
