Here’s why Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson split

Let’s face it, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have always been one of the more ~controversial~ Royal couples. In fact, over the years their relationship has endured more drama than we can even remember. But while the pair might have divorced over two decades ago, they have managed to remain close friends and are still living together. So, let’s take a look at where it all began…

Where did they meet?

Funnily enough, this Royal pair didn’t bond over a kebab after a drunken night out at Uni. Big surprise. These two have actually known each other since they were kids and used to hang out at the same royally posh polo matches.

Tim Graham

According to the Daily Mail‘s reporter Rebecca English, a friend of Sarah (AKA Fergie) told her: “Even at the age of ten, Andrew and Sarah knew that they would marry!”

When did they get engaged?

Fast forward a few years and these two were reportedly reunited by Princess Diana herself after she invited Fergie to Royal Ascot in 1985. Long story short, they fell madly in love and announced their engagement just a year later on March 19, 1986.

And here’s something to make you feel all warm inside – Prince Andrew designed Sarah’s ruby engagement ring himself to match her red hair. And the royal romance doesn’t end there as he later said in the pair’s engagement speech, “It was at Ascot, as it were, that the whole thing took off. But it wasn’t Ascot, as such, when we realised that there was anything in it. It was later on.”

Tim Graham

Just six months later Sarah and Prince Andrew married at Westminster Abbey before jetting off to spend their honeymoon on the Azore Islands in Portgual. OKAY, that’s the lovey-dovey stuff done, now comes the drama.

Why did they split?

After welcoming Princess Beatrice in 1988 and then Princess Eugenie two years later, the rumour mill went into overdrive that Andrew and Fergie’s relationship was on the rocks. Following weeks of speculation – including whispers of infidelity – in 1992 Buckingham Palace was forced to announce that the Duke and Duchess of York would in fact be separating “amicably”.

“In view of the media speculation which the Queen finds especially undesirable during the general election campaign, Her Majesty is issuing the following statement: Last week, lawyers acting for the Duchess of York initiated discussions about a formal separation for the Duke and Duchess. These discussions are not yet completed and nothing will be said until they are. The Queen hopes that the media will spare the Duke and Duchess of York and their children any intrusion.”

The scandal was stepped up a notch when Fergie was later snapped on holiday in St Tropez having her toes sucked by her Texan financial adviser, John Bryan while she was still married to Prince Andrew. After the controversial photos were published in The Sun, Fergie finally addressed the whole debacle, saying, “I remember seeing it and just going, oh no, Sarah. And that’s when Caroline, my best friend in the world, do you remember Caroline? She said to me, ‘Now you need help, Sarah.’”

The Royal family and Fergie

Unfortunately, things only got messier from then on, with Andrew’s family and Fergie not exactly parting ways on good terms. According to The Telegraph, Fergie was plunged into a load of debt which she then tried to clear by making a deal with newspaper reporters. Thomas Markle eat your heart out.

To make matters worse, the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret penned a handwritten – and pretty savage – letter in response to some flowers Fergie sent. “You have done more to bring shame on the family than could ever have been imagined”, it said.

Getty Images

In reference to the ‘toe-sucking’ snaps, the Princess added, “Not once have you hung your head in embarrassment even for a minute after those disgraceful photographs. Clearly you have never considered the damage you are causing us all. How dare you discredit us like this and how dare you send me those flowers?” Ouch.

Their relationship now

Regardless of all the family drama, Fergie and Andrew have actually kept a pretty close bond. They even continued to holiday as a family at their shared £13m ski lodge in the posh Swiss resort of Verbier. And apparently, they’re still living together in Windsor’s Royal Lodge.

Max Mumby/Indigo

But that doesn’t mean all is forgotten and rumour has it there’s still some major beef with Prince Charles and Fergie. In fact, when Meghan Markle married Prince Harry earlier this year, she was left off the guest list for an evening do hosted by Charles.

While Prince Andrew’s ex-wife *was* invited to the wedding and general reception, she didn’t make it onto the exclusive list for a second party for just 250 people. FYI Prince Andrew and the couple’s kids Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie did nab themselves invites. Awkward.

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A source told the Daily Mail, “Numbers are limited to the evening party, she is not a member of the Royal Family any more and Prince Charles simply doesn’t have time for her. He just can’t see why she is still such a big part of his brother’s life.”

As you can imagine, Fergie wasn’t best impressed by the rather public snub especially considering she didn’t make it onto the guestlist for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s big day back in 2011 either…

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What will happen next?

So, will these two ever get back together? Well, in an interview on Australian radio last year, Fergie was asked she would ever remarry Prince Andrew, to which she replied, “I always think ‘have we really?’.

“We’re divorced to each other right now. We’ve never really left each other.”

And on that note, I’m just going to leave this final tribute from Fergie to the “best looking” Andrew here…