Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson has reportedly left friends stunned after failing to attend the wedding of her beloved niece, Heidi Luedecke, with insiders claiming there was “no good reason” for her absence.
The 66-year-old former Duchess of York, who has largely remained out of the spotlight following the fallout from the Epstein files, has kept a notably low profile in recent months.
She was last publicly sighted in April at a luxury ski resort in the Austrian Alps.
Despite her retreat from public life, friends of the York family have reportedly questioned why she missed the wedding of her “golden niece”, Heidi, who married art consultant Ben Collinson at All Saints Church in Dummer, Hampshire, on June 6.
The ceremony took place on the same day as the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling, which Fergie’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, attended instead.
A family friend told Daily Mail royal correspondent Richard Eden there was “no good reason” for Sarah to have skipped the celebration.
“Sarah would have been surrounded by love had she turned up,” the source said.
“She could have kept a low profile without too many problems.”
Fergie has previously spoken warmly of her beloved niece. After Heidi became engaged in 2023, she told Eden that Heidi was “my golden niece whom I love so much.
“I’m devoted to lovely Ben and Heidi,” she added.
Eden noted that Fergie’s absence was made all the more surprising because the wedding reception was held at the Hampshire farm where she grew up with her older sister, Jane Ferguson Luedecke, 69.
The sisters are believed to share an exceptionally close relationship, with Jane frequently travelling from her home on the New South Wales Central Coast to the United Kingdom to support her younger sister.
Fergie has previously described Jane as a “phenomenal human” who has always looked after her.
“I respect, love and admire her. I’m her little naughty sister and she puts me first,” she told The Times in December 2024 during a joint interview with Jane.
Jane is understood to have remained a steadfast source of support for Fergie following the release of the Epstein files, which exposed the extent of the Duke and Duchess of York’s past association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
According to reports, Jane has repeatedly offered her sister a place to stay in Australia as scrutiny surrounding the York family intensified.
“(Jane) would love nothing more than to offer a haven to Sarah here in Australia, but they both know that it would become a circus with photographers and the world’s press on Jane’s doorstep,” an insider told Woman’s Day in February.
The source said the Ferguson sisters had remained close despite living on opposite sides of the world, with Jane staying in “constant contact” with Fergie amid the ongoing fallout.
“She rarely lets slip anything about Sarah, particularly now that everyone seems to be trying to find out her exact location, but I’m positive she’s not holed up on the Central Coast- at the moment,” they added.
While Fergie’s current whereabouts remain unclear, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is reportedly living at Marsh Farm on King Charles III’s private Sandringham estate while he remains under investigation by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office and sex offences.
The former prince has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.