Fergie ‘invited to spend Christmas with the Royal Family for first time since splitting from Andrew’

Sarah Ferguson will be invited to spend Christmas with the Royal Family for the first time since she split with Prince Andrew 30 years ago.

Fergie, 63, is understood to have been invited to join the royals for the festive period at Sandringham and could even make a public appearance with her disgraced ex-husband during the traditional Christmas morning walk to St Mary Magdalene Church.

Andrew banned Fergie from attending Christmas with the family following their split in 1992.

The duke has subsequently been stripped of his royal duties in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking scandal.

Andrew, Fergie and their children, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie at the wedding of Rupert Maitland Titterton and Sarah Mason in 1995

 The duke has been stripped of his royal duties in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking scandal

Pictured: Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and their children Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in 1997

But Wood Farm is reportedly being prepared to host Andrew, Fergie and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie. 

But a Sandringham source told The Sun: ‘Andrew is banned from public life but you can’t ban him from family Christmas. Staff at Sandringham have been tasked with getting Wood Farm ready for the whole York family.

‘When she split with Andrew, Sarah was never allowed at the family Christmas Eve and Christmas Day while Philip and the Queen were alive.

‘For 30 years she used to have Christmas dinner on her own. But things are being done differently now.’

If Fergie chooses to accept the invitation, she will join the royals in swapping gifts at Sandringham’s White Room.

This will be followed by a sit-down, black tie evening meal and dinner.

It comes as it was this week revealed that Andrew held secret crisis talks with his ex-wife’s ‘toe-sucking’ lover following the disastrous Newsnight interview about his links to paedophile Epstein. 

The Duke was reeling from the backlash from his ‘car crash’ interview with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis. Pictured: Andrew is interviewed on Newsnight

Meanwhile, Mike Tindall is also expected to receive an invite following his appearance on I’m A Celebrity 

The Mail on Sunday revealed the astonishing story of how US businessman John Bryan – the man at the heart of Fergie’s 1992 scandal – gave the Duke ‘honest advice’ as his life fell apart following the bombshell broadcast in 2019.

In his first-ever interview, Mr Bryan, a respected financial adviser, revealed how he rallied behind the Yorks to offer strategic advice about restoring the Duke’s shattered reputation and finances after he was forced to step away from royal duties.

Mr Bryan told how he was ‘stunned’ to be invited back into the Royal fold in November 2019 when Andrew was at his most vulnerable.

The Duke was reeling from the backlash from his ‘car crash’ interview with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis and still faced hugely damaging accusations of having had sex with Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, which the Duke has repeatedly and strenuously denied.

But it is said that it is unlikely the duke will ever return to public life.

Meanwhile, Mike Tindall is also expected to receive an invite following his appearance on I’m A Celebrity.

Fresh from watching Jill Scott being crowned Queen Of Jungle, the 44-year-old rugby player – who finished in fourth place on the ITV1 show – looked in high spirits as he spent quality time with family on Monday.

Mike was joined by wife Zara, 41, and their three children, Mia, eight, Lena, four and 20-month-old son Luca as they explored the theme park.

The Sussexes are not expected to receive an invite.