Allaying all reports, the Duchess of York will be invited to Prince Harry’s wedding – but questions over her presence have caused a ‘massive headache’ behind the scenes.
Stories claiming that Prince Andrew’s former wife had been left off the guestlist have been shot down by well placed sources.
However, according to reports, Sarah Ferguson – mother to Harry’s cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – is only going after Harry fought for her to attend.
While one option discussed was to invite the duchess to the evening reception only, however a source insisted that Harry wants her present at the ceremony too.
The royal aide said: ‘Harry has nailed his colours to the mast on this. He wants his aunt there – and she will be.’
Another added: ‘Any suggestion she will not be there [at the wedding] is a complete fabrication.’
Senior royals, led by Prince Charles and Prince Philip, have made no bones about the fact that they don’t want the duchess at Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19.
Their stance follows a string of embarrassing incidents since the duchess, 58, and Prince Andrew split in 1996.
Courtiers have been adamant that the duchess should not be invited to join them and there have been lengthy conversations about the issue.
When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married in 2011, Sarah was very noticeably absent and spent the ceremony at a spa in Thailand.
But according to the source, Harry, who is close to his cousins – particularly Eugenie, who will herself marry at Windsor in October – has dug in his heels and made clear he wants her there when he walks down the aisle.
The fifth in line to the throne has kept in touch with Sarah, known as Fergie, over the years, and has previously holidayed at the Swiss ski chalet she bought for an estimated £13million with her former husband.
