Sarah Ferguson Says 'Spotlight Needs to Come Off' Ex-Husband Prince Andrew So He Can 'Rebuild'

During a Thursday appearance on Good Morning Britain, the Duchess of York called her ex-husband a "good man" and a "good grandfather"

Sarah Ferguson says her ex-husband Prince Andrew needs to "rebuild" his life out of the spotlight.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, the Duchess of York spoke about her relationship with her former husband, who made headlines worldwide when his affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein came to light in 2019. The royal has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

"I told him the other day that he should definitely talk more to the Pilgrim Bandits who's this extraordinary group of veterans, SAS veterans, that are amputees or that have been through really, really difficult times," Ferguson, 64, shared during the TV appearance.

Fergie said she thinks "it's very important" that people "focus on what you do to bring others a bit of joy that are in less fortunate positions than yourself."

"With Prince Andrew, he's such a good man," she said. "He's a kind, good man, and I think the spotlight needs to come off of him and let him get on with his life to rebuild."

"He's a very good grandfather," she added, referring to the children of their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Related:Sarah Ferguson Says It's Been 'Really Difficult' to See Ex-Husband Prince Andrew's 'Demise'

In January 2022, the day after a judge in the U.S. rejected Andrew's attempt to have Epstein tracking victim Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit against the prince dismissed, Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth had stripped her son of his military titles and patronages. The Duke of York would no longer undertake public engagements as a working royal. About a month later, Andrew and Giuffree reached an out-of-court settlement.

Prince Andrew has continued to join the royals at family events such as Christmas.

While Prince Andrew is expected to attend King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation on May 6, Fergie was not invited to the crowning ceremony.

"It's a state occasion and being divorced, I don't think you can have it both ways," the Duchess of York said on Good Morning Britain.

She added, "Just because I'm not there on the state occasion, in private I can be there, and that's a lovely feeling to be part of the family."

Fergie has been included in other family occasions with the royals like the gathering at Easter earlier this month and their Christmas holiday at Sandringham House in Norfolk.

Although Fergie won't attend the crowning, she will join the royal family at the Coronation Concert the following day. She will be in the VIP section of the 20,000-strong crowd watching the concert — starring Lionel Richie and Katy Perry — on the grounds of Windsor Castle on May 7, PEOPLE confirmed.

It underlines the family nature of the event as opposed to the formal, state occasion of the service that will see King Charles and Queen Camilla crowned.

Related:Prince Harry to Attend King Charles and Queen Camilla's Coronation Without Meghan Markle

Fergie has shared how she will be spending the coronation instead.

"I personally will be having a little tearoom and coronation chicken sandwich and putting out the bunting, that's what I'm going to be doing. Because that would make me very happy," she said on the ITV talk show Loose Women on April 5.

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While recently speaking to PEOPLE about her historical fiction novel A Most Intriguing Lady, the Duchess of York said she looked forward to celebrating King Charles and Queen Camilla for their coronation.

"I'm very supportive of the King and the Queen Consort, and I really am glad to do whatever it takes to support them on their road ahead," she said.

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