Sarah Ferguson’s 10-word swipe at Meghan Markle had huge ramifications for…

Sarah Ferguson’s 10-word swipe at Meghan Markle shows just how keen members of the Royal Family are to distance themselves from her and Prince Harry, according to an insider.

It has long been believed that Harry remains on friendly terms with his cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, with the latter even visiting the couple at their Montecito home.

However, their mother, the Duchess of York, commented to The Telegraph that she and Meghan do not have much of a bond, saying: “I don’t really know Meghan, I haven’t really met her.”

A source explained to Express.co.uk how this may have been a technique from Fergie to keep herself apart from Harry and Meghan, as they said: “They were neighbours.

“Royal Lodge is basically next door to Frogmore and the Yorks and Sussexes met quite often. Sarah taught Meghan how to curtsey and there have been other meetings.

They added: “Both Harry and Meghan were quite surprised by Sarah’s comments and couldn’t understand why she would distance herself like that. It has caused a bit of distance between the families.”

The source also admitted that Beatrice and Eugenie are not as close to the California-based couple as they once were, as “Beatrice and Eugenie have firmly pledged their allegiance to the Royal Family.

“They haven’t communicated with the Sussexes for a while now. They are nowhere near as close as they once were.”

Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who share sons August and Ernest, had been thought to be the closest to Harry and Meghan

But Eugenie and Jack are also friends with Prince William, with the Princess and her older sister Beatrice supporting the heir to the throne at a Buckingham Palace garden party in May.

The source elaborated: “Eugenie and Jack are very careful about what they say to friends because they don’t want to be seen as bad-mouthing Harry or Meghan.

“There’s still a friendship there but it’s not like the close family bond they had before Harry moved to America
Beatrice and Eugenie’s appearance at the garden party would not have been a surprise to Harry, as familiar as he is with royal protocol.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk: “He wouldn’t think [bad about it] at all. He would expect them to [attend]. It’s a garden party, that’s not a question at all.

“Eugenie, particularly, he’s [Harry] got good relations with, we know that. There might be in some future time that it might be useful in healing the rift.