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Dressed in a dark blue blazer, her brow furrowed with signs of worry, Sarah Ferguson – the former Duchess of York – emerged from hiding to attend the memorial service of an ex-lover in London on October 29.
After months of shunning the spotlight amid the fallout from revelations about her controversial relationship with late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, Fergie, 67, was back – and in the company of her daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie no less.
The timing of the former duchess’ re-emergence was notable – for it came almost exactly a year from the day that her world first came crashing down.
It was clear Fergie wished to pay her respects to a man she was once romantically involved with – the motor-racing figure Paddy McNally who died in July at the age of 88 after a long illness.
“Paddy was my father figure, 22 years older than me,” Fergie once shared. “He taught me so much about life. Whenever I wanted advice, I turned to him because he was so worldly wise. He seemed to have seen and done everything.”
Indeed, McNally reportedly remained Fergie’s confidant long after their relationship ended, and he is understood to have allowed the disgraced duchess the use of his homes in Switzerland and the south of France during her self-imposed exile from public life.
Rumours have abounded that he even left Fergie a portion of his $1.15 billion fortune as a final gift.
Whatever the truth of the matter, one thing is clear – that Fergie’s reappearance on home soil has led Palace insiders to fear she is about to make a full-blown comeback.
“Sarah went back and forth over whether she was going to attend Paddy’s memorial service, of course she was nervous, but she decided to face her fears and get back out there and she’s so relieved that she did,” a source tells Woman’s Day, adding that Beatrice and Eugenie were by her side for “moral support” but it didn’t take long for her to get comfortable.
“She was schmoozing with everyone like old times, even Peter Phillips, and she’s now saying this is just the start, she’s ready to get back to the life she’s always known, she’s done hiding.”
The insider went on to say that the bold act – and the warm welcome Fergie received – has left King Charles and his heir Prince William “quite shocked”.
“They want distance from the scandal, and that’s just not going to happen if Sarah starts popping up at every society event,” the source goes on.
“Andrew’s even more worked up about this, he says his own daughters have betrayed him by choosing to support their mother so publicly while they ignore him and leave him to rot.”
A separate insider explains that Fergie is now in a “reset mode” – and is committed to keeping a low profile wherever possible after a move to England’s Home Counties.
“She was so happy to be with her girls at Paddy’s memorial service – she knows it was risky for them to be seen with her,” the source says, adding that Fergie has been enjoying “playing catch-up on grandma time” while reconnecting with family.
“She’s not quitting by any means, but she knows any successful comeback will take time. She plans on staying in the low-key family lane for the next six months or so, hopefully the odd casual appearance with Beatrice and Eugenie, while building on her grandma credentials,” the source adds.
But reconnecting with family doesn’t mean a reunion with her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – despite her once describing them as “the happiest divorced couple in the world”.
“If there’s any way back at all, after reviving her image, she believes the only way is through Beatrice and Eugenie,” the source says, adding that perhaps a well thought-out TV interview could be on the cards.
“For now, she’s been warned off doing another ‘tell-all’ memoir as it means revisiting Epstein details and putting it down on paper forevermore,” the insider continues.
“The biggest priority is to avoid the association and an interview can avoid all that with a comment about bad judgment.”
