Jane
We had a wonderful childhood, eating raspberries off the bushes in the garden. Sarah and I were always mucking around with horses and dogs at Lowood, our house in Berkshire. She had all the guts and would jump the bigger jumps. I was the slow, stylish one doing dressage. I’m the older, bossier sister — I was quite mean to Sarah. I’d cut off the heads of the roses in my mother’s garden, put them in Sarah’s pocket and say, “Look what she did.”
In 1967 our grandfather died and we went to live at his big house, Dummer, in Hampshire. Our father, Major Ronald Ferguson, was the polo manager for the royal family, so we had a lot to do with them. In 1962 I was in the leading rein class at the Windsor Horse Show and the Queen presented me with a Mars Bar because I didn’t do very well.
I was 15 and Sarah 13 when Mum left for Argentina [she divorced their father to marry the polo player Héctor Barrantes]. It was really hard. I think that’s why I left for Australia in 1975 when I was 18 and went to live in the middle of nowhere with an Australian farmer, Alex Makim, who’d come to work at Dummer. Sarah and I had been partners in crime, so it would have been awful for her dealing on her own with poor dad, who was miserable. I was married to Alex for 17 years and we had three children, Seamus, Florida and Ayesha. Florida wasn’t meant to live — she died soon after she was born in 1984. After the marriage broke down, I went to Sydney and started my own PR business. It was tough being a single mother, but Sarah was always supportive. I met Rainer Luedecke in the 1990s and we were married from 1994 until 2003. We have a daughter, Heidi, who lives in London and works in the art world.
I’ve been with my partner Ramin Marzbani for 15 years. We live north of Sydney and have a business together. He was married before and I have two stepdaughters, Nikki and Indira.
It was exciting when Sarah started dating Prince Andrew. Seamus was a pageboy at the wedding, this little rough boy from the Australian bush. At the rehearsal, he and Prince William had sailor suits and hunting knives they kept pulling out to play with. It was a lovely wedding. I remember the Queen running after William at Buckingham Palace afterwards. The Queen was amazing — she made people feel so comfortable. She never forgot my children’s names and ages.
Despite all Sarah’s ups and downs, I think the British public do like her because she’s authentic. She’s learnt a lot and come a long way. We all get bad stuff said about us and some of it’s unfair, but if you’re in the public eye you’ve got to expect it, haven’t you?
Even if we don’t see each other for a year, we take up where we left off. We’ve holidayed together over the years — skiing, visiting Australia and Greece — so Beatrice and Eugenie are close to their cousins. We all came over for Eug’s wedding. Beatrice’s was during Covid but we FaceTimed on the day.
We found out Sarah had breast cancer because I had a lump in my breast and in June 2023 was waiting for the biopsy result. I had a papilloma, a non-cancerous tumour, that had to come out. We were on the phone and I said, “Have you had a check? No? Go and do it.” She’s a great supportive sister. I’ve been protective of her but she’s been protective of me — when my marriages ended, when Florida died. She’s extremely caring and thinks more of others than herself.
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Sarah and Andrew are the best divorced couple I know. They’ve done it for their children; it’s incredible. I came to stay at Royal Lodge in May and went riding with Andrew at Windsor Castle. It was lovely to get back on a horse and ride through the grounds again.
Sarah
We had a privileged childhood and were very close, but Jane still has a bit of lead pencil in her hand where I stabbed her. I was cross about the roses.
We didn’t really see Mum and Dad — he was always travelling. The nanny looked after us. I was force-fed semolina and permanently told off for throwing it on the floor. I wouldn’t sit on my potty, so I was tied to the table leg by Mother. One day she had guests over from Royal Ascot and I was so determined to see them, me, the potty and the table went walking outside.
I’ve known the King all my life and I absolutely adore him. He’s kind and makes me laugh, and I love that he still calls me Fergie. At Dummer, Mum would say, “Don’t be naughty with the Prince of Wales when he comes to stay, don’t duck him in the pool.” I’d duck him straight in the pool and put a fake dog turd outside his room. He thought it was hilarious.
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Dad and Mum put me in Daneshill boarding school when I was 8. I was in a dormitory of 16 girls, with metal beds and horsehair mattresses. It was the most important moment of my life when I was left there — I remember saying the world had ended. I was strong and put a shield up. Somebody should have been there to say to the little girl, “You’re all right.” Even to this day, at 65, I can see when little Sarah is going to come up — the Sarah who thinks the world is sad. I work hard on understanding little Sarah, teenage Sarah, old bag Sarah.
I was 11 when I noticed Mum and Dad weren’t sleeping in the same room. I found out from reading a newspaper at school that she was having an affair with Héctor and they were going to divorce. The last thing Mum did at Dummer was slam the door, then she left, didn’t say goodbye. She took the horses with her.
Queen Camilla was close friends with Mum, which is why we’re so close now. But Diana was my best friend from the age of 14. That’s why it’s so big that the Queen and I get on now. It’s rather nice, and she reminds me of Mum. I admire the extraordinary support she’s giving this country. I want to do as much for the Queen as possible. I wish they’d ask me to do more.
When Jane left for Australia, I became a carer for Dad. I was left to look after a sad man, which is sort of what I’m doing now. It’s why Queen Elizabeth and I got on so well. My mum was her close friend so she knew me all my life and she loved me. The Queen was much more my mother than my mother was. I called her Mumma. She never let me down, even if I let her down. Even through the darkest days, she never left me. Though I still got nervous seeing her right up until the end because she was the Queen of England. I had many Covid jabs so I could walk the dogs with her. She had little brown walking shoes. Now I have the corgis — they’re phenomenal.
I had the most incredible boyfriend, Paddy McNally, the former racing driver. When I became involved with Andrew, Paddy was such a gentleman — he drove me to Windsor Castle. We’re still best friends.
I first met Andrew when I was 12. My first thought was that I was going to marry him. We came back into each other’s lives when Diana invited me to Ascot in 1985 and six months later we were engaged. You weren’t allowed to hang out or live with each other then. Diana couldn’t, I couldn’t. But they learnt from us, and Sophie [Duchess of Edinburgh] and Catherine [Princess of Wales] could. They both got to know their boys.
I was totally and utterly in love with Andrew. I would do it all over again, 100 per cent. He’s the best, a great man with a great heart, and kind. Our wedding was the best day of my life. But I gave up my anonymity that day. I was able to because love conquers all. It’s still with us today. I won’t let him down. He supports me as much as I support him. He’s supported me through thick and thin, not just marriage or divorce. We agree on the three Cs — communication, compromise, compassion.
When we married, I was “the breath of fresh air”. Everyone loved me — it was addictive. I think what I did wrong was I got lost, probably trying to be like Diana. I was an addict to food. The fact I could eat my emotions was the only thing that saved my life. I was huge, more than 14 stone when I had Beatrice in 1988, and I think I had postnatal depression. Everybody said, “You’re the Duchess of Pork,” and I believed my critics. But the Queen never lost me. The best advice she gave me was the last thing she said to me: “Sarah, remember that yourself is good enough.” It makes me cry.
Jane insisted I get a mammogram; she saved my life. I was sure I was going to die, then I looked up “mastectomy” and faced it [she had a single mastectomy and reconstruction]. Now I love Derek and Eric, as I call my breasts. My father died of melanoma so when I got that diagnosis on New Year’s Eve 2023, I nearly fainted. I’m through treatment but I won’t go outside in the sun. Otherwise I’ve got to live life, I’m lucky, it’s freed me from the shackles of my heart. Before, I didn’t think it was OK to be myself. Don’t wait to get cancer to free yourself.
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I’m a fun granny. Sienna [Princess Beatrice’s daughter] wanted a unicorn birthday party so I dressed a white pony as a unicorn. For the boys, August and Ernest, [Princess Eugenie’s sons] I’m learning about trains.
It’s beautiful to be with my sister. She’s a phenomenal human. We’re very childlike. We still think dipping soldiers in boiled eggs is fun. I respect, love and admire her. I’m her little naughty sister and she puts me first.
I know I’m all right because Beatrice, Eugenie and my sister love me. I think Andrew too. I hope so.
Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods by Sarah York (New Frontier £12.99). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
Strange habits
Jane on Sarah
She always waves goodbye with a hankie until you can no longer see her
Sarah on Jane
When she’s going to cry, her top lip trembles
