Someone hide the newspapers from Prince Philip! For it appears his red-headed anathema really could be coming back into the royal fold.

For although the cynics might have scoffed at the rumors that Fergie and Prince Andrew could remarry, they will find it harder to do so now that no less a well-informed personage than Her Fergieness herself has added fuel to that particular fire.

For, over the weekend, Fergie, who was appearing at a kids literary festival, promoting her new book, was apparently asked directly by a reporter from The Daily Telegraph whether she and Andrew, the queen’s second son, intended to formally reconcile, and, rather than ruling out such a prospect with a robust, ‘No’, somewhat coyly replied, “He’s still my handsome prince, he’ll always be my handsome prince.”

According to the report in today’s Daily Telegraph, she went on, “It’s lovely that we are such a family and the story has a happy ending all the time. In our every day, we really respect each other and we honor each other and it’s just lovely to have that sense of integrity, to what we believe is right; to what is good and compassionate and love and kindness. And that’s the way we are.”

The couple have remained close since they divorced in 1996, and both live at Royal Lodge, in Windsor. Andrew nobly stood by her when she was filmed attempting to sell access to him by a reporter from News of the World. Although he has enjoyed an enviable love life since splitting from Fergie (well, until recently at least, when he has been a bit quieter for reasons which are now becoming obvious), he has only rarely brought his girlfriends back to Royal Lodge out of respect for Fergie.

Prince Philip cannot abide Fergie and finds her living arrangements offensive and inexplicable. Earlier this month, Fergie joined Andrew, Beatrice, 25, and her sister, Eugenie, 23, for the weekend at Balmoral, the Queen’s Scottish retreat—and Philip delayed his arrival until after Fergie had left the building.

It is about as likely as a snowball surviving a journey through hell that the queen would consent to the remarriage of Fergie and Andrew while Philip still has breath in his body, but once he has passed away, it could become a real possibility.

The pair are said to be very close to each other currently, and at Beatrice's recent birthday party were seen laughing and chatting together like an old married couple.

Last month, a friend was quoted as saying, “Mark my words, they will remarry, it is only a matter of time,” while another said, “It wouldn’t surprise me at all. They are a wonderful couple together and, better still, pretty amazing parents.”

Remarriage would be the culmination of an astonishing reversal of fortune for the loud-mouthed redhead who became the bane of the British establishment.

Just two short (long?) years ago there could have been no clearer demonstration of the continuing contempt in which Fergie was held than when the invites for William and Kate’s wedding were sent.

Astonishingly, among the thousand-plus invitees, Sarah Ferguson’s name was not on the list. The royal establishment really hates Fergie, and the individuals are not afraid of showing it.

There was more cold-shouldering for the duchess when Prince Harry pointedly ignored her at an Olympics event in 2012, however Harry did then go on holiday with Andrew, Fergie, Bea, and Eugenie in early 2013 (the trip on which he was finally pictured kissing Cressida).

The rehabilitation is believed to have been aided by the fact that Fergie has stopped drinking.

The duchess was appearing at the festival to speak about her latest book, Ballerina Rosie, as well as to promote a campaign to keep British bookshops in business, called "Books are my bag."