Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson separate again after 30-year domestic pact ends

All eyes are on Windsor’s Royal Lodge, where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to move out imminently. The decision follows a sweeping revocation of privileges by his brother, King Charles III, including use of his titles and the mansion he had leased on the royal grounds surrounding the castle, now the epicenter of institutional life. 

Andrew’s previously unexamined ties to Jeffrey Epstein were laid bare through leaked emails, triggering public and parliamentary pressure that accelerated his fall, and, indirectly, that of his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, whose own correspondence with Epstein also came to light. 

This reshaping of the former Duke and Duchess of York’s lives has impacted not only their public image but also their private one, precipitating yet another separation.

After signing their divorce papers in 1996, Sarah Ferguson continued living intermittently, but consistently, over the past decade with former Prince Andrew and attending certain royal family events.

© Dan Kitwood

Andrew is now leaving Royal Lodge for Marsh Farm at Sandringham, a more modest property aligned with his current role and far from the castle that hosts state functions and the residence of the Princes of Wales. 

Until now, Ferguson had continued living with her ex, but as reported by our sister publication HELLO!, a source close to the family said she is ready to strike out on her own.

“She has stood by him all these years but is now ready to spread her wings. She won’t be moving in with him to the new house on the Sandringham Estate. She won’t be moving into Beatrice’s Cotswolds home though. Eugenie’s home in Portugal is a contender while she finds somewhere,” the insider detailed.

© Max Mumby/Indigo

This move to Sandringham marks another separation for a couple whose living arrangements have come and gone since 1992, when they first announced a “break,” a pause that was shattered by the release of photos showing Ferguson in affectionate moments with her financial advisor. 

Those images reportedly led Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to refuse to meet the Duchess of York for the rest of his life, a vow he kept until 2018, only relenting to honor Eugenie of York’s wish to have her family together on her wedding day.

© Mark Cuthbert

Andrew, however, had no issue continuing to share a home with Ferguson, never feeling the need to stage a physical separation. The couple officially divorced in 1996, the same year Charles III and Princess Diana split, but agreed that maintaining a united front would serve both their family and the Yorks’ public aspirations within the royal fold. 

They continued sharing much of their lives, even making joint investments. This domestic pact translated into intermittent cohabitation in the early years and nearly constant living together over the past decade, a setup Ferguson herself described as mutually beneficial, as friends, parents, and even grandparents.

That last part seems set to remain unchanged. Andrew and Sarah will continue their partnership as co-parents, but the day-to-day domestic life is over. The ideal divorced couple, as their daughters once described them, is parting ways again, at least for now. 

© Chris Jackson

With the loss of some privileges (though he retains rights as a Mountbatten-Windsor and family member), an unusual alliance that provided Andrew both support and a voice in his defense has come to an end.

Since stepping back from the royal spotlight, Ferguson has given interviews and penned memoirs, yet always remained loyal to Andrew and the legacy of Elizabeth II’s monarchy.

Ferguson, who had avoided the Epstein fallout until late 2025, has consistently spoken warmly about the father of her children, even when public opinion did not. Her reflections allow us to trace the evolution of this strategic alliance, once celebrated for its unwavering loyalty. 

© Max Mumby/Indigo

Elizabeth II herself orchestrated Andrew’s reintegration into the family to show the public that, as a mother, she continued to support him, even if he could no longer participate in institutional duties. This carefully designed space for the former Dukes of York persisted into King Charles III’s early reign, as evidenced by their presence at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral alongside the King and the Princes of Wales.

Yet just a week after the memorial service, previously private conversations between Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew, Ferguson, and royal staff began leaking. These files contradicted prior narratives and led to the unraveling of Ferguson’s philanthropic and professional projects, while increasing political and public pressure on the King.

Within three months, amid endless speculation about the Yorks’ fate and the roles Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice would play, events culminated in the separation of a couple married in 1986, divorced in 1996, and intertwined until 2026.