Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, will not be attending the Duke of Edinburgh’s Farewell Service this weekend, April 17th, despite her close relationship with the Queen and Prince Philip.

The Royal Family has announced a list of 30 people who will attend the service, including the Queen and late Prince Philip's four children and eight grandchildren, as well as their respective spouses.

However, Sarah was notably absent from the guest list, which has left Royal Watchers wondering why.

Although Sarah did not expect to be one of the attendees at the service, many people assumed she would have been extended an invite based on her solid friendship with Prince Andrew and her position as Beatrice and Eugenie's mother.

Despite divorcing Andrew, Sarah has been living with the Duke of York for the past 13 years.

However, it is understood that the real reason Sarah will not be on the funeral guest list is due to the coronavirus restrictions.

Due to the current Covid guidelines, only 30 select family members can attend the funeral.

Buckingham Palace has said the Queen faced some very difficult decisions when confirming the guest list for the funeral.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said, “At heart, it is still a family event.

We are following the Covid guidelines.

There was a limit on who could be invited as a guest and Her Majesty wanted to ensure that all branches of the Duke's family were there and had to make some very difficult decisions about who could be there.

For those that unfortunately can't be there, I'm sure they will be making their own private arrangements about how they commemorate the Duke and indeed celebrate the Duke.”

Others argue that Sarah could also have been missed off the guest list because she reportedly did not have a good relationship with the late Prince Philip following her separation from Prince Andrew in 1992 and their subsequent divorce in 1996.

Philip who passed away last week has described the Duchess as odd and pointless and would even ask for her to leave Balmoral, the Royal Estate in Scotland, during holidays before he arrived.

However, the Queen may have invited Sarah had she been able to invite more than 30 guests, as it is thought the Queen had a good relationship with her ex-daughter-in-law.

Sarah is said to have been at the Queen's side this week as she mourns the passing of Prince Philip.

The Sun reports that Fergie and her ex-husband Prince Andrew have been making the drive from the Royal Lodge to Windsor Castle, sometimes twice a day, to walk with the monarch and her corgis.

The outlet's source said they have been going on short walks around the gardens with the Queen and her corgis.

Sarah has always been close to the Queen, and the two shared a special bond.

During her marriage to Prince Andrew, Sarah opened up about her close relationship with the Queen in her autobiography, My Story.

“In private, I called her Mama.

When she waved me to sit next to her in the car or at church, I felt favored and blessed,” she shared.

When Sarah and Andrew decided to separate in 1992, the Queen reportedly asked them not to.

“She asked me to reconsider, to be strong and go forward,” Sarah claimed.

Despite not being able to attend the service, Sarah has been paying her respects to Prince Philip in her own way.

She posted a tribute to him on Instagram, writing, “Thinking of you, Your Majesty, today and always.”

She also shared a photo of Prince Philip with their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

In conclusion, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, will not be attending the Duke of Edinburgh's Farewell Service this weekend due to the coronavirus restrictions, despite her close relationship with the Queen and Prince Philip.

While some argue that Sarah could have been missed off the guest list due to her rocky relationship with Prince Philip, others believe that the Queen would have invited her had she been able to invite more than 30 guests.

Despite not being able to attend the service, Sarah has been paying her respects to Prince Philip in her own way.