When Sarah Ferguson’s youngest daughter Princess Eugenie married her long term partner Jack Brooksbank in a lavish (and televised) royal wedding back in 2018, it seems as though Fergie had been officially welcomed back into the royal fold, with the Duchess of York playing a starring role during the nuptials.
WATCH: Princess Beatrice labelled ‘the unluckiest princess in the world’
Fergie arrived at Windsor Castle in a Rolls Royce and wearing a bright green outfit, waving to adoring fans as she entered the church.
And like any proud mother of the bride, the 60-year-old posted loads of images from the happy day on social media. “So proud of Eugenie and Jack,” she wrote in one post, followed by, “Andrew and I are proud to welcome Jack to the York family,” in another.
Years before his shocking involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal would be unearthed, Prince Andrew also played the role of doting father at his youngest daughter’s wedding.
In an interview with ITV ahead of the nuptials, Andrew even had a slight dig at his royal relative Prince Harry, comparing the size of his guest list at his wedding to Meghan Markle, to that of Eugenie and Jack’s.
“There are a few more [guests] than Harry had, but that’s just the nature of Eugenie and Jack, they’ve got so many friends that they need a church of that size to fit them all in,” he joked.
The pair were both front and centre, relishing in their renewed public roles, and were happily photographed by the press both outside and inside the church.
But both Fergie and Andrew’s public response to daughter Princess Beatrice‘s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on the weekend has been the complete opposite.
Fergie has only now broken her silence on the wedding on Instagram, posting a tribute to royal fans on social media with a poignant inspirational quote, rather than any photos of the happy couple.
Her low-key public response is a far cry from the frequent gushing social media posts she uploaded for Eugenie and Jack’s wedding.
“Thank you to all the very special and kind people that took the time and trouble to send amazingly caring and supportive messages … never has a mother been more proud than the wedding of Eugenie and Jack, and again with my Beatrice’s loving wedding to Dear Edo,” she wrote in her caption.
“I am so lucky with my girls, and now the best sons-in-law.”
While Prince Andrew walked Beatrice down the aisle on the weekend, he was nowhere to be seen in the official wedding portraits and his attendance at the event was deliberately low-key.
With UK and US authorities closing in on Andrew, and fans demanding answers about his involvement in Epstein’s shocking child sex ring, the royals clearly made a decision to keep the former couple out of the spotlight on Beatrice’s big day.
It seems the York family are choosing to keep a low public profile, to minimise the potential for criticism during such a delicate time.
Beatrice, 31, married Edoardo, 37, who is known as Edo, in a low key ceremony attended by less than 20 guests on Friday, after the pair were forced to cancel their original May 29 wedding date.
Buckingham Palace confirmed The Queen, Prince Philip, Beatrice’s sister Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank were all in attendance on the day.
Edo’s four-year-old son Wolfie, whom he shares with his ex-fiancée Dara Huang, held the role as best man.
Beatrice wore a stunning vintage Norman Hartnell dress, on loan from her grandmother The Queen, who wore it herself back in 1967 for the State Opening of Parliament.
The gorgeous frock was remodelled and fitted by one of the Queen’s favourite designers, Miss Angela Kelly, as well as Mr Stewart Parvin, especially for Beatrice’s wedding day.
The Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara was also loaned to her by Queen Elizabeth II.
The very special headpiece was previously worn by The Queen on her own wedding day in 1947.
This article first appeared on Now To Love.
