Sarah Ferguson appeared to distance herself from Meghan Markle in a recent interview, saying she ‘hasn’t really met’ her – after the Sussexes claimed it was Fergie who ‘taught her to curtsey’ to the Queen.
The Duchess of York, 63, the mother of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, told The Telegraph she ‘doesn’t know’ Meghan, who is currently living in her $14 million California mansion having stepped back from royal duty.
The mother-of-two said: ‘I don’t really know Meghan. I haven’t really met her.’
However the claim comes in direct contradiction of the Sussexes, who have both claimed Fergie has been one of the friendlier members of the royal family – even recalling having drinks with Sarah at her home in The Royal Lodge.
In both the explosive Oprah Winfrey interview and Harry’s book Spare, the Sussexes said it was Sarah who taught Meghan how to curtsey ahead of her first meeting with the late Queen.
Sarah Ferguson appeared to distance herself from Meghan Markle in a recent interview, saying she ‘hasn’t really met’ her – after the Sussexes claimed it was Fergie who ‘taught her to curtsey’ to the Queen
The Sussexes have both claimed Fergie has been one of the friendlier members of the royal family – even recalling having drinks with Sarah at her home in The Royal Lodge
Elsewhere, Fergie said she did speak to Meghan at the Queen’s funeral in September, adding: ‘She looked absolutely beautiful. I think she is beautiful.’
In the Oprah interview, which was broadcast in early 2021, the Duchess of Sussex said Fergie was the person who taught her to curtsey.
She claimed when she went to meet the Queen for the first time at The Royal Lodge in Windsor, she ‘didn’t even know how to curtsey’ and was shocked when Harry explained it was expected of her.
Meghan said: ‘I went into it naively because I didn’t grow up knowing much about the royal family. I didn’t fully understand what the job was.’
The mother-to-be said that was the moment ‘the penny dropped’ that her perception about the Firm was ‘very different’ to the reality, and she had to learn how to perform the royal custom ‘very quickly’.
She said: ‘I didn’t know I was going to meet her until moments before. We were in the car and we were going to the Royal Lodge for lunch, and he [Harry] was like, “Oh, my grandmother is here, she’s gonna be there after church.”.
‘Right in front of the house we practiced and ran in. Fergie ran out and said, “Do you know how to curtsy?”,’ she recalled.
‘Apparently I did a very deep curtsy, I don’t remember it, and then we sat there and we chatted.
Meanwhile Harry also recounted a similar story in his book Spare, writing that he had actually hoped Fergie would be the first member of the family Meghan would meet as his girlfriend.
Elsewhere, Fergie said she did speak to Meghan at the Queen’s funeral in September, adding she felt she ‘looked beautiful’ (pictured far left, Meghan, and far right, Sarah)
While it is not known how often the two may have crossed paths over the years, Sarah was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding
He wrote it was October 2016, explaining: ‘First stop, Royal Lodge. To meet Fergie, because Meg already knew Fergie’s daughter Euge, and Jack, so this seemed a logical baby step.’
He added: ‘Fergie came outside, somewhat aflutter, and said: “Do you know how to curtsy?” Meg shook her head. Fergie demonstrated once. Meg imitated her.
‘As we walked towards the door Fergie and I both leaned into Meg, whispering quick reminders. When you first meet the Queen it’s Your Majesty. Thereafter it’s just Ma’am. Rhymes with ham. Just, whatever you do, don’t talk over her, we both said, talking over each other.’
After Meghan met the Queen, Harry writes that they stayed at Royal Lodge for drinks.
It is unknown on what other occasions the two women might have crossed paths – with Meghan only serving as a working member of the royal family for a few years before moving to the US.
Fergie was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018, while it’s likely the Duchess’ also crossed paths at Eugenie’s wedding that October.
Sarah’s daughter Eugenie is a close friend of the Sussexes, and has visited them a number of times in the US
The two also both attended the Queen’s funeral in September, and Fergie called speaking to Meghan at the event.
Despite the two appearing to disagree on how much they have come into contact, Sarah has been complimentary of Meghan on multiple occasions.
In the same Telegraph interview, she praised the Duchess for ‘making Harry happy’, saying: ‘She has made Harry very happy, and that is so nice. Honestly, he’s so happy with her. She really loves him. And I think that’s beautiful.’
Sarah’s daughter Eugenie is a close friend of the Sussexes, and has visited them a number of times in the US.
However Harry has also been highly critical of Sarah’s ex-husband Prince Andrew, with whom Fergie still enjoys a close relationship.
He became the first royal to publicly criticise Prince Andrew, 63, labelling the Jeffrey Epstein affair ‘a shameful scandal’.
No one in ‘The Firm’ had spoken about claims the Duke of York twice sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked by Epstein.
Andrew settled her lawsuit last year, accepting no liability, and has always denied any wrongdoing. But Harry brings up the affair in his book Spare.
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