Wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson by "The New York Times". A number of ceremonies and parties were held at different places by the public to celebrate the occasion across the United Kingdom. The wedding was widely broadcast on television and radio in many countries, and news channels covered the ceremony in different languages. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, "the groom's grandmother" Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, "the groom's great-aunt by marriage" It was reported that Andrew's obligations as a naval helicopter pilot meant that they only saw each other 40 days a year. Sarah received criticism from the media about her weight, contributing to her
Sarah, Duchess of York Ferguson announced their engagement. Prince Andrew had known Ferguson since childhood, and they had met occasionally at polo matches, and became re-acquainted with each other at Royal Ascot in 1985. Also prior to their engagement, Ferguson had accompanied the Princess of Wales during her official tour of Andrew's ship HMS "Brazen". Prince Andrew designed the engagement ring himself. It consists of ten diamonds surrounding a Burmese ruby. He chose the Burmese ruby to complement Sarah's red hair. With her fun spirit and friendly approach she was initially considered to be a good addition to the royal family. After securing the