The bubbly Duchess joined her ex-husband and the royal family for Christmas at Sandringham last year – the first time since 1991. And she was clearly excited to be a part of the festivities

Sarah Ferguson’s delight at joining the Royal Family for Christmas at Sandringham last year was clear for everyone to see.

Prince Andrew’s ex wife was invited to the celebrations for the first time since 1991 – and she beamed as she warmly greeted members of the public who lined to walk to Church of St Mary Magdalene. Indeed, Fergie was so excited on the day, she broke royal tradition with a surprising act during Christmas lunch.

As Ephraim Hardcastle noted: “She even live-tweeted from Sandringham after lunch, overwhelmed that she was finally back in the royal fold.” In her message, Sarah told her followers: “We are enjoying each other’s company and feeling grateful today. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Happy Christmas to anyone who celebrates and season’s greetings to all!”

What a difference a year makes. Rather than heading to Sandringham with the rest of the royals, Sarah will celebrate Christmas alone with Prince Andrew at their shared home, Royal Lodge. Their two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, are believed to have made plans to celebrate with their respective in-laws, and their own children.

Andrew was under pressure to stay away amid the ongoing scandal surrounding his links to an alleged Chinese spy. According to reports, it was Sarah who convinced him to rescind his invitation to Sandringham, and also skip the pre-Christmas royal lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

It’s the latest controversy to engulf the Prince and put him back on the front pages of newspapers. Andrew as forced to step back from public duties following his bombshell interview with the BBC about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which aired in November 2019, just over five years ago.

The late Queen then stripped Andrew of his military titles and patronages in January 2022. And more recently, King Charles reportedly cut Prince Andrew’s allowance off this past summer while encouraging him to move out of Royal Lodge into a smaller residence.

But despite the many scandals involving Andrew, Sarah has remained incredibly loyal to her former husband. In a new interview with the Times , which took part “before recent revelations about Prince Andrew” but published after the event, she gushed about her love for her ex.”I was totally and utterly in love with Andrew. I would do it all over again, 100 per cent. He’s the best, a great man with a great heart, and kind. Our wedding was the best day of my life. But I gave up my anonymity that day. I was able to because love conquers all. It’s still with us today. I won’t let him down. He supports me as much as I support him. He’s supported me through thick and thin, not just marriage or divorce. We agree on the three Cs — communication, compromise, compassion.”