Why the Duchess of York spent Christmas ‘on her own’ away from her two daughters

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, spent Christmas without her two daughters, it’s been confirmed.

Christmas after a divorce when you have children together might often be tricky, and it’s no different for the York family. While very close to her daughters Eugenie and Beatrice, the Duchess of York spent Christmas on her own and watched her children on TV.

An official PR spokesperson confirmed she spent the day on her own, telling the Express.co.uk, “The duchess will be spending Christmas on her own as she has for the last twenty years.”

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Fergie revealed last year that she has her own tradition, where she always watches Ben-Hur followed by the news to see her ‘girls’.

She told the Daily Mail at the time, “I will watch Ben-Hur and really enjoy it, then watch the news and see how the girls are doing.”

Fergie also revealed she didn’t mind spending Christmas away from her daughters because she knows how much the Queen adores them.

“I know that Her Majesty adores my children”, she added. “So I am happy to share them — both in August and at Christmas.”

Recently, the Duchess opened up about how the family have been coping with the controversy surrounding Prince Andrew’s BBC interview.

She told Vogue Arabia, “When I talk about Prince Andrew, I talk about family because the last six months have been hard on the girls and me. To see such a wonderful man go through such enormous pain.

“He is the best man I know. It’s just incredible what he has done for Britain, and it’s all nonsense [her voice raises as she alludes to the Epstein scandal], so I talk about familyhood, and I’m very strong about it. The mental health of men is important and I think it is vital to articulate that more.”

Mariana Cerqueira

Mariana is the managing editor of woman&home. She has previously worked for lifestyle titles including GoodtoKnow covering all aspects of women’s lifestyle - from the Royal Family, beauty and fashion to wellness and travel. She was nominated for AOP Digital Journalist of the Year in 2020, and for New Digital Talent of the Year at the 2016 PPA Digital Awards. She’s mildly obsessed with TV (reality TV shows included) and spends far too much time planning her next trip away.