Friendly, fun and still affectionately known to most as ‘Fergie’, Sarah, Duchess of York, has long been the party-loving royal celebrities want to spend time with.
The former-wife of Prince Andrew has remained close to her former husband while carving out a career for herself as an author, charity campaigner sometime television presenter and much else besides.
Sarah’s most recent novel is called A Most Intriguing Lady, which is certainly a sentiment shared by these famous folk with whom the Duchess struck up long-lasting and unlikely friendships.
WILL.I.AM
No, not the heir to the throne, her nephew, but the rapper and coach on The Voice.
As a member of The Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.am spent many years performing with a different Fergie – the American singing version.
Will.I.am pictured with Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew in Los Angeles
As a member of The Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.am spent many years performing with Fergie – the American singing version!
Talking of his friendship with the royal, Will says: ‘Royal Fergie is my home girl.
‘We do tea together all the time. She even came to my ghetto to mentor kids at a school. I love her, she’s the real Fergie.’
Will has even read some of Sarah’s poetry and explored the possibility of using her words in his music.
DAVID AND VICTORIA BECKHAM
Former-husband Prince Andrew famously claimed to have attended a child’s birthday party at Pizza Express in Woking.
Fergie raised the bar when she helped to organise a very special sixth birthday party for Harper Beckham.
Victoria Beckham greets Sarah Ferguson with a kiss on the Amalfi coast in 2022
The Duchess of York helped organise a very special birthday party for Harper Beckham at Buckingham Palace
Pop royalty: the Spice Girls pictured with the Duchess of York and daughters Beatrice and Eugenie in 1999
Friends with Harper’s parents, David and Victoria, Sarah arranged for Harper to throw a tea party for her friends at Buckingham Palace and meet her daughter Princess Eugenie.
Although it raised eyebrows as time, the friendship has clearly endured as two years ago Sarah was spotted enthusiastically hugging and kissing David and Victoria when they bumped into each other on holiday in Italy.
NAOMI CAMPBELL
At first glance you wouldn’t imagine that a supermodel from Streatham and a posh polo manager’s daughter from Hampshire would have much in common.
Naomi Campbell and Sarah have been friends for almost two decades
Princess Eugenie invited her mother’s friend Naomi to her wedding
Yet Fergie and Naomi Campbell have been the best of pals for nearly two decades, ever since Sarah lent her support to Naomi’s Fashion for Relief charity.
Over the years Naomi has persuaded Sarah to walk the catwalk at some of her fundraisers, including at London Fashion week in 2015.
The pair regularly dine and attend parties together and through the Duchess, Naomi is also friends with Beatrice and Eugenie and attended Eugenie’s wedding.
KATE MOSS
Believed to have been introduced by mutual friend Naomi Campbell, Fergie and Kate Moss are great buddies.
Sarah and Kate were believed to be introduced by Naomi and became firm friends
Sarah and Kate Moss have been pictured on holiday together twice
Both women have ridden out their own scandals and have been pictured on holiday together twice.
The first time in Venice 2013 (when Fergie had her daughters in tow) then again in 2016 when Sarah was pictured on holiday in Greece with the Croydon born model. They have regular girlie nights out in London, often snapped looking the worst for wear in the early hours.
LISA MARIE PRESLEY
Of all Fergie’s famous friendships, her close bond with the daughter of Elvis Presley is, perhaps, the most curious of all.
Lisa Marie Presley was known ‘Sissy’ to Sarah. They had been devoted friends for years
Sarah was so close she gave a eulogy at Lisa Marie’s funeral in 2023
The extent of Sarah’s deep friendship with Lisa Marie only came to light last year, when the daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley died unexpectedly at the age of 54.
Sarah gave a eulogy at Lisa Marie’s funeral, referring to her late friend by her pet name ‘Sissy.’
Paying tribute to her on Instagram, Sarah described Lisa Marie as ‘my devoted friend for many years.’
They forged a friendship in the early 2000s, bonding over their work for children’s charities.
When Fergie hit the headlines in 2010 for promising access to the royals in return for cash, it was Lisa Marie who came to her rescue, offering up her holiday home in Hawaii as a secret refuge.
For many years, Lisa lived privately in a small village close to Tunbridge Wells in Kent, where Fergie was a regular visitor.
ROBBIE WILLIAMS AND AYDA FIELD
Those watching Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018 were surprised to see Robbie Williams’ then six-year-old daughter Teddy as bridesmaid.
Robbie Williams with his wife Ayda at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding
The big surprise was that Robbie and Ayda’s daughter Teddy was one of the bridesmaids
It turns out that Robbie and his wife, Ayda, have been friends with the York girls and Fergie for many years.
Former Take That star Robbie has called the Duchess ‘an amazing woman’ and revealed that they ‘get on like a house on fire.’
Fergie first met Robbie and Ayda on holiday in the Caribbean in 2011, when Sarah was later seen shopping with Ayda in St Barts.
Since then the Yorks have been to say at the Williams’ home in LA and Robbie and Ayda always try and dine with Sarah and her daughters on trips to London.
ELTON JOHN AND DAVID FURNISH
Everyone is familiar with Elton John’s friendship with the late Princess Diana, but he and his husband David are also close friends with Sarah.
Everyone knew about Elton’s friendship with Princess Diana but he is close to Sarah, too
Elton and his former wife, Renate Blauel, attended Prince Andrew’s and Sarah’s wedding in 1986
Sarah was there to support Elton and David Furnish when they became two of the first gay men in the United Kingdom to have a civil partnership in 2005
When Elton attended Sarah’s wedding to Prince Andrew he did so with his then wife Renata. Neither marriage lasted but Sarah’s friendship with Elton did.
Sarah was there to support him and David Furnish when they became two of the first gay men in the UK to have a civil partnership ceremony in 2005.
The Duchess is a regular attendee at Elton and David’s annual fundraising event for their AIDS charity.
BILLY CONNOLLY AND PAMELA STEPHENSON
Before quitting the UK, comedian Billy Connolly and his wife Pamela Stephenson – the actress turned psychologist – lived in Berkshire. They became close friends with neighbours Sarah and Prince Andrew and attended their wedding.
Billy Connolly and wife Pamela Stephenson attended Sarah and Andrew’s wedding in 1986
In the years afterwards the celebrity pair were regular dinner party guests at The York’s home in Sunningdale, Berkshire.
When Billy and Pamela moved to LA, Sarah was a visitor. He once revealed his amusement at Beatrice and Eugenie not appearing to know that they were princesses.
‘I remember Fergie’s two girls Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice were in our house in Los Angeles where we lived before moving to New York. They were with my girls playing in the dressing-up box. They both came into the room and said, “Look, we’re Princesses.”’
A guest on Pamela’s CH4 TV series The Fame Report, Fergie talked to her old friend about how feeling ‘ugly’ next to her glamorous mother had triggered her unhealthy relationship with food.
BOB GELDOF
The Duchess of York was a surprise guest at the 2015 wedding in France of Bob Geldof to his long-term girlfriend Jeanne Marine.
Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, Bob Geldof and long-term girlfriend Jeanne Marine attend the 2016 Angel Ball hosted by Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation For Cancer Research
But it turns out that the pair go back a long way and Sarah has been close to Jeanne for many years with both supporting the same charities including The Warrior Programme, which helps injured veterans, and the Angel Foundation for Cancer Research.
They all share a mutual friend in the Russian billionaire Vladamir Doronin and travelled together to India to celebrate his 50th birthday at a lavish party in 2012.
Both the York girls are friends with Pixie Geldof, who was a guest at Beatrice’s 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle.
DAVE GARDNER
It’s likely that Fergie met football agent Gardner through David Beckham. The two men are besties, after all.
Dave Gardner was another surprise guest at Eugenie’s wedding in 2018
Sarah, Duchess of York seen at Loulou’s club for Dave Gardner’s birthday party
Whatever the story, it seems that Sarah and Dave have become good friends in their own right.
The Duchess was a guest at Dave’s 40th birthday party at Lou Lou’s club in London and he and his then partner Liv Tyler were also guests at Princess Eugenie’s wedding.
SALLY HUMPHREYS WOOD
When it comes to her celebrity friends, Fergie certainly has a soft spot for rockers…and their glamorous wives.
Sally Wood and Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York Discover Film party at the Ivy Club
Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York, Ronnie Wood and Sally Humphreys Novak Djokovic Foundation Gala Dinner
Sarah and Sally Humphreys Wood, the actress and producer wife of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood have a fond friendship after bumping into each other at charity fundraisers.
The pair always are often spotted huddled together and exchanging warm hugs at events including a Marie Curie summer party hosted by socialite Heather Kerzner and at the inaugural event of the Novak Djokovic Foundation.
It goes without saying that Beatrice and Eugenie are also friendly with Sally too!