They both married into the British royal family and became outspoken members, but according to a royal expert, Meghan Markle is peeved that the institution seems to have different rules for Sarah Ferguson (aka Fergie) than it does for her. While the Suits star and her husband Prince Harry are currently estranged from the family, Fergie has continued to be a public figure as the Duchess of York and has attended royal events despite being divorced from ex-husband Prince Andrew.
RELATED: Prince Philip Banned Fergie From the Royal Family—Here's What Brought Her Back.
As reported by the New York Post, royal expert Neil Sean told GB News that Markle is "furious" that the royals have a "different set of rules" for her. "The thing that really riles Meghan is that Fergie pops up on things like the ITV daytime show This Morning, Loose Women and billing herself as the Duchess of York, selling books and possibly doing adverts all under the Royal Family." Neil added, "Meghan and Harry seemingly don’t understand why it’s a different rule for her."
Markle and Harry stepped down as working senior members of the royal family in January 2020. They have since spoken out about their experience as British royals in their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, and in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry also shared details of his life in his memoir, Spare. The couple have cited concerns with safety and how they were treated by the British media as the primary reason for changing their position in the family and moving to the U.S. Harry was critical of some members of his family in his book, including claiming that they leaked stories about him to the press.
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As for Fergie, she and Prince Andrew were married from 1986 to 1996. The 64-year-old has been involved in various scandals over the years. She is also known for being a spokesperson for Weight Watchers and an author; she's written many books, including memoirs, children's books, and self-help books. Today, she continues to make regular TV appearances and hosts a podcast.
In her 1996 autobiography, My Story, Fergie said that she and Princess Diana bonded over wanting to leave the royal family. Fergie did not get along with Prince Philip and was not invited to royal events for some time, but has since been welcomed back. Since 2008, she has lived with Andrew even though they are divorced, and in December she was part of the traditional royal family Christmas celebrations and photographed with her former in-laws.
Harry and Markle, on the other hand, were not included in the Christmas events and have only returned to the U.K. a few times since their move. Royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the royal family's current treatment of Fergie is "in stark contrast" to their treatment of Harry and Markle. "Fergie’s qualities are those valued by the family. She never complained after her ouster," Fordwich said. "With the demise [disgrace] of Prince Andrew, she emphasized her support, showing resilience in face of adversity with her health issues."
In March 2023, The Telegraph asked Fergie if Markle has "damaged" the royal family. "It is absolutely not my place to answer that," she responded. "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—and that Diana would be proud of him and her lovely grandchildren."
Around the same time, she told People of Markle and Harry, "I don't believe that any single person has the right to judge another person. I'm not in a position myself to make any judgments. I have been judged all my life, and I have no judgment on the Sussexes."
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