In fact, the late Prince Philip reportedly avoided contact with his former daughter-in-law entirely, after she was sensationally pictured having her toes sucked by American financier, John Bryan, in 1992!
But almost thirty years later, and with Philip having passed, Fergie is back in the family fold.
Recently, she was invited by the Queen, 95, to join the royals on their holiday at Balmoral.
Sources now say more official royal appearances could be on the cards.
Indeed, it’s believed the Queen plans on giving Fergie, who was allowed to keep her Duchess of York title after her divorce, some of the patronages once held by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
“The Sussexes no doubt won’t like hearing that,” claims a source.
Clearly thrilled to be back in Her Majesty’s good books, Fergie, 61, called the Queen her “greatest mentor” and the “person who believes in me” in a new interview with Twiggy.
“I think to myself that, honestly, my mother-in-law has been more of a mother to me than my mother,” she said.
Fergie’s mother, Susan Barrantes, left when Fergie was a girl to move to Argentina with her second husband, polo player Héctor Barrantes. She died in a car crash in 1998.
Fergie also praised the Queen’s “forgiving” nature, gushing: “I absolutely admire the incredible way Her Majesty is so modern… and how flexible, and how understanding, and how forgiving and how generous.”