Sarah Ferguson says she will miss Queen Elizabeth II, her former mother-in-law, “more than words can express.”
The Duchess of York — who was married to the Queen’s son, Prince Andrew — posted a statement on Twitter after news broke of the monarch’s passing at age 96 on Thursday.
“I am heartbroken by the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy: the most fantastic example of duty and service and steadfastness, and a constant steadying presence as our head of state for more than 70 years,” she wrote.
Fergie, as she is affectionally known, also revealed that she felt gratitude towards the Queen, especially after her divorce in 1996.
“She has given her whole life selflessly to the people of the UK & the Commonwealth,” she wrote. “To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce.”
“I will miss her more than words can express,” the duchess sorrowfully concluded.
Ferguson, 62, married the Queen’s second son in 1986 and they share two children together, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Despite their split, the couple has remained close and until 2004, lived in the family’s home, Sunninghill Park in Berkshire.
She has also been a staunch defender of her ex-husband, who settled a lawsuit with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, after claims that she was forced to have sex with the Prince when she was 17 years old, by late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
In an interview earlier this year, she described him as “such a kind, great man.”
Ferguson also described the happiest day in her life as her wedding day, “when I married the best man in the world.”