The Duchess of York's royal return

By Christopher Vaughan Jun 14, 2006, 22:25 GMT

Sarah, the Duchess of York in Hong Kong, China, Sunday, 20 November 2005. EPA/KARL PROUSE

It was the end of the royal line for Sarah, Duchess of York. In August of 1992, photographs were published showing the Duchess in a compromising position with her American financial adviser.

Any chance of reconciliation with her estranged husband - Prince Andrew, Duke of York - was quashed.

She was immediately ostracized by most members of the British royal family. The normally outspoken Duke of Edinburgh has allegedly not uttered a single word to the Duchess since the scandalous pictures were exposed.

The York's divorce was finalized in 1996. While the Duke and Duchess have remained close friends since the break up, the Duchess has been continually excluded by senior members of the family from participating in royal functions or events.

However, the past couple of years have seen hints of improved personal ties between the royal family and the Duchess.

The Prince of Wales was photographed giving his former sister-in-law a kiss on the cheek in 2004. Shortly after that, the Duke and Duchess were seen together with their children and Queen Elizabeth at a polo match.

Even so, the recent announcement that the Duchess would make an official appearance at the upcoming Order of the Garter ceremony was met with great surprise by many people.

Her former husband is being appointed as Royal Knight Companion of the Order on June 19, 2006. It is believed the former couple's two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, proposed their mother be in attendance.

To make matters even more remarkable, the Queen is hosting an 18th birthday party for Beatrice and it is thought the princess has requested her mother be there too.

It seems as though 2006 is turning into the year of the reconciliation for the royal family. Earlier this year, Queen Elizabeth signaled an end to the long-running feud between the royal family and Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana.

In April, he and his wife were among the 700 guests at the Queen's 80th birthday celebratory service at Windsor. Interestingly enough, the Duchess herself wasn't invited.

It appeared the Duchess' formal relationship with the royal family would remain off limits for the foreseeable future.

However, with the official invitation to witness her former husband's Order of the Garter appointment, this might very well be the year the British royal family openly mend their broken ties with the Duchess of York.

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Christopher Vaughan is a journalist living in Canada. He has been a royal watcher for more than 20 years.