A CHEERY Duchess of York declared “onwards and upwards” as she headed home following a skiing break with her family – while her ex-husband Andrew waited for news of his court case.
Sarah, 62, was with daughters Beatrice, 33, and Eugenie, 31, were spotted at Geneve Airport after leaving their £17 million chalet bright and early this morning.
They were accompanied by their respective husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank for the holiday over the festive period.
Two people carriers were needed to transport the family, plus nannies and luggage, from the swish Swiss resort of Verbier just before 8am where they have been since Boxing Day.
As she arrived at Geneva airport for her lunchtime British Airways flight home, the Duchess told HOAR she’d had an enjoyable holiday, as she wished us “Good morning” before adding:”Onwards and upwards.”
She refused to answer questions about Andrew’s ongoing legal case in New York and about the reported sale of the chalet they have owned there since 2014.
But a Swiss land registry official said the property was still in the joint names of “Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson.”
An estate agent in Verbier said:”No-one really knows what is going on with the chalet.
“One minute it’s been sold the next minute it hasn’t.”
The details are all being kept very secret and when I checked with the land registry it was still in Prince Andrew’s name.”
As they arrived at Geneva airport – all following strict mask wearing regulations – Beatrice’s property developer husband Edo grabbed a luggage trolley to gallantly help with their suitcases.
The Duchess dressed in a black skirt, plimsolls and a sky blue jacket wheeled her own silver grey suitcase with a handbag on top.
Environmentally conscious Beatrice was spotted putting rubbish into recycling bins as they got off their silver private hire mini bus that had driven them the two hours from Verbier to Geneva.
During the holiday Sarah was rarely seen outside the chalet – despite her love of skiing – while her daughters regularly took to the slopes enjoying pristine conditions.
Insiders said Sarah had been in constant contact with Andrew as he awaited news of his sex case civil claim from Virginia Giuffre in New York.
One source said:”Everyone is quietly confident things will go Andrew’s way.”
Despite divorcing in 1996 the couple have stayed on good terms and only a fortnight ago Fergie told of her bond with Andrew during an Italian TV interview in which she even hinted they could get back together.
FERGIE WILL ‘STAND BY’ DUKE
The Duchess of York confessed she still loves Prince Andrew and “will stand by his side” even in the face of allegations he sexually abused a Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein, when she was under 18.
Sarah, who described marrying Andrew in July 1986 as a “fairytale” was asked by interviewer Bruno Vespa why it had ended.
She replied:”Who said it’s finished? You know Bruno, the love we have for each other is very different from others, we share a very real respect for each other and real love for each other.
“It’s our fairytale and we honour each other. This is what we practice and we make compromises.”
When asked about his involvement in the Epstein case Sarah replied:”You know Bruno, I will stand by his side. I support him 100 percent.
“He is an extraordinary person, kind, gentle, fantastic father and parent and a great grandfather.”
She added:”You have to stand by what you believe is right.”
The Swiss chalet – called Helora – was the subject of controversy after it emerged Andrew and Sarah had failed to make a final payment of £6.6 million in 2020 to former owner Isabelle de Rouvre.
Four months ago it was reported the seven bedroom property was up for sale but interest has been limited due to the pandemic.
