Sarah Ferguson has spoken out about Princess Eugenie’s first day at childcare.

In 1992, the Princess attended a Montessori nursery in Windsor.

Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, 61, who lives with him at Royal Lodge in Windsor and has two children with him, Princess Beatrice, 32, and Princess Eugenie, 31, said she recalls the occasion “very well.”

Sarah told HELLO! Magazine, “I remember her first day very well actually, very well.

“I was really impressed by the way the school was.

“And I researched, for many years now, Maria Montessori, who started it, and why she thought it was so important to let the child be free enough to describe what they want.

“And it suited Eugenie, absolutely down to a tee, because she’s a very strong character, and I wonder whether her love of History of Art came from an early age.

“She loves to see something aesthetically.

“I’m sure it came from her nursery.”

Montessori nurseries place a strong emphasis on the child and encourage active learning in a supportive atmosphere supervised by qualified teachers.

With the birth of Eugenie’s first child, August, earlier this year, Sarah became a grandma.

In June, Sarah, Duchess of expressed her joy at being appointed Chair of the newly created International Montessori Ambassadors organization. The Duchess recalled enrolling her younger daughter Princess Eugenie in a Montessori nursery in Windsor in 1992, and explained why she is so enthusiastic about the Montessori technique, which “encourages a love of learning and curiosity.”

Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, pioneered the holistic method, which strives to enhance children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive capacities via exploration of the world around them.

Sarah expressed her delight at her new role as a grandma in February, following the birth of Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s son.

Bringing even more compassion into nurseries is one of the improvements the Duchess and mother-of-two wishes to bring about.

“As Grandparents, The Duke and I are thrilled and blessed at the arrival of our grandson August Philip Hawke Brooksbank,” Sarah said on Instagram.

“He is a beautiful blessing and a bringer of such love and joy to all our Family.

“I am so proud of Jack and Eugenie, they are and will be wonderful parents”.

She revealed: “When Leonor Stjepic, CEO of the Montessori Group, said, ‘What would you like to see in Montessori schools?’ I said ‘Kindness.’ And I would love to talk to you about that. That is the KQ – kindness quotient from the Kindness Foundation. They made this KQ quota and what I would like to do is to bring the KQ into all Montessori schools so that young children, when they join, they have to tick the kindness quotient.

“And so I’m very excited to join forces with Montessori globally, and not only just on bringing kindness into primary education, but also going around and travelling, reading to children at primary schools. It’s really where I live with all my children’s books.”

‘The Montessori approach encourages a love of learning and curiosity that is life-long, and this is something I’m very passionate about,’ she explained. ‘It’s just as needed in today’s world as it was 100 years ago when Dr Maria Montessori developed her pedagogy’.

During the lockdown, Sarah established her Storytime with Fergie and Friends YouTube account, where she shared recordings of herself reading children’s stories, which she writes.

She said: ‘I’m looking forward to supporting the Montessori Group to reach more children, and ensure they get the best start in life.”