She was once persona non grata but relations between the Duchess of York and the Royal Family have thawed so much that Sarah Ferguson has enjoyed a week’s holiday at Balmoral.

Not only was it at the personal invitation of the Queen but the 48-year-old Duchess was also invited to extend her stay.

At the Scottish castle, which she had not visited since splitting from Prince Andrew, Fergie had a series of chats with the Queen and Prince Philip on future roles for her daughters, Beatrice, 20, and Eugenie, 18.

A source close to the Duchess said last night: ‘Sarah is very keen that the girls should live normal lives but she would definitely back them carrying out charity work in an official capacity.’

Beatrice starts a degree at Goldsmiths College in London in September after travelling around the world during her gap year.

She is said to be keen to do charity work and there are tentative plans for her to visit an orphanage in Romania with her mother later this year.

Eugenie is said to be planning a gap year after gaining good grades this summer in her A-levels.

A Royal aide said yesterday: ‘Sarah and Andrew always intended it to be the case that Beatrice and Eugenie would have a Royal role.

Read entire story at the Daily Mail