Their union quickly faced strain, with royal life exposing deep cracks in their relationship.
Sources now said Andrew’s naval duties kept him away for long stretches, and during one year of their marriage, he was home for just 42 days.
In one infamous moment, an insider said he told Ferguson, “I am a Prince, then a naval officer, then a husband.”
That blunt prioritization, paired with rumors of his affairs, contributed to Ferguson’s decision to separate from the then-Duke of York.
Andrew was said to have slept with more than a dozen women before their first anniversary, while Ferguson faced scrutiny over her friendship with Texas oilman Steve Wyatt.
In 1992, a tabloid photograph showing Ferguson with her financial advisor in a compromising position added further public pressure, and the couple announced their separation soon after.
Ferguson and Andrew’s divorce was finalized in 1996, with the then-duchess later describing the split as pragmatic.
“I wanted to work – it’s not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial,” she said – adding: “So Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job.”
She emphasized her decision was driven by practical considerations rather than personal animosity.
Despite their separation, Ferguson has maintained a close relationship with her ex-husband.
She continues to stay at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, previously describing it as a place of convenience rather than a home.
“I travel a lot, and I’ve always been able to make wherever I am home… when I’m in the UK, I’m lucky enough to stay at Royal Lodge. I wouldn’t call it my home as that would be presumptuous,” she has said previously.
She and Andrew have also been ordered to vacate the $40million Lodge by the King by February.
Ferguson’s loyalty has remained unwavering to her ex, even amid Andrew’s public scandals, including his 2022 settlement with Epstein s– trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre over sexual assault allegations, which he has consistently denied.
“I think the love I had for him then is the love I still have for him now,” Ferguson has said.
“We’re the happiest divorced couple in the world… we’re divorced to each other, not from each other. My duty is to him. I am so proud of him. I stand by him and always will.”
A source claimed, “Andrew’s declaration about his priorities to Sarah is typical of him. He is an egomaniac who doesn’t care who he hurts. It is no wonder she divorced him.”
