Sarah Ferguson was spotted for the first time since her former mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, died last week.
The Duchess of York joined her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, on Friday to view floral tributes left for the late Queen outside Windsor Castle.
Fergie, as she is affectionately known, praised her late ex-mother-in-law on Twitter earlier this week.
“I am heartbroken by the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy: the most fantastic example of duty and service and steadfastness, and a constant steadying presence as our head of state for more than 70 years,” she wrote.
“She has given her whole life selflessly to the people of the UK & the Commonwealth,” she continued. “To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce.”
“I will miss her more than words can express,” the duchess sorrowfully concluded.
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Ferguson, 62, married the Queen’s second son in 1986 and they share two daughters, Princess Beatrice, 34, and Princess Eugenie, 32. The couple announced their separation in 1992 amid scandal as she was photographed having her toes sucked by American businessman John Bryan, who was referred to as her “financial advisor.”
The couple finalized their divorce in 1996.
Despite their divorce, the couple remained extremely close and even lived in the same house.
She has also been a steadfast defender of her ex, who was forced to resign from royal life after a disastrous BBC interview he gave in 2019, in which he defended his friendship with late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Earlier this year, he settled a lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, who claimed that she was forced to have sex with the Prince when she was 17 years old on three different occasions. He still denies any wrongdoing.
Ferguson has described her husband as “such a kind, great man” and said that her wedding day was the happiest day of her life because “I married the best man in the world.”
The Duchess reportedly grew closer to the Queen in the wake of Prince Philip’s death who famously detested his ex-daughter-in-law.
“The Duchess bonded with Her Majesty over dog walking and riding horses, and even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with Her Majesty, by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting,” a source told The Telegraph.
Last summer she was invited to spend time at Balmoral Castle after many years of banishment.
She and her ex-husband have taken in the Queen’s four surviving dogs.
