Signs Sarah Ferguson & Andrew Are Finally Finished Decades After Divorce

Sarah Ferguson and her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have been through many periods of upheaval since they married in 1986. The early days of Andrew and Ferguson's marriage were more toxic than the public realized, with some insiders accusing Andrew of infidelity. Hearsay aside, Ferguson noted they also didn't spend much time together, and it eroded their bond. By 1992, they'd already separated, divorcing in 1996. Even so, Ferguson only agreed to divorce because she was restricted from working outside the royal Firm. Given her reluctance, it' might not be as surprising that Ferguson and Andrew's relationship rebounded. "We're the happiest divorced couple in the world," Ferguson informed the Daily Mail in 2018. "We're divorced to each other, not from each other." By 2025, however, things had dramatically changed, and it appeared that the former couple was about to finally disentangle their lives.

At the end of October 2025, Andrew was ordered to leave his longtime home, Royal Lodge, which he shares with Ferguson. In the face of this development, she and Andrew took radically different approaches. While Andrew was reportedly loath to pack, Ferguson opted for an energized strategy, coming up with various possibilities for where she could reside next.

However, even after they no longer live together, one royal expert asserts Andrew and Ferguson's bond won't be completely severed. "Whatever happens, she will never desert him," Ingrid Seward, Majesty Magazine editor-in-chief, informed Daily Mail. "She is incredibly loyal in that regard."

Although Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor might always be able to count on Sarah Ferguson's friendship, separate homes will give her a break from her previous, more hands-on interactions with her ex-husband. Andrew and Queen Elizabeth had a famously close bond, and before the monarch's death in September 2022, Ferguson could rely on Elizabeth to offer emotional support to her son. By December 2024, Ferguson likened her situation with Andrew to acting as a caregiver for her own father. "I was left to look after a sad man, which is sort of what I'm doing now," she remarked to The Times. 

While King Charles' decision to switch up royal housing may have catalyzed Ferguson's break from Andrew, she might have been contemplating this decision for some time. Ferguson informed The Times that the two cancer diagnoses she received in 2023 changed her outlook on life, explaining, "It's freed me from the shackles of my heart."  

However, the former couple have essentially been living apart for years, more like exes living in the same apartment building. Royal Lodge is a vast residence, allowing Andrew and Ferguson their own separate spaces. This arrangement could be the secret to their success at living together for so long. Andrew reportedly has a lot of possessions, including an extensive teddy bear collection. While it's not clear what Ferguson's preferences are in terms of minimalism/maximalism, she likely found it easier to have her own discrete area within Royal Lodge to display her own prized items.