Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew divorced in 1996, but the split was driven by a combination of personal and professional strains rather than a single incident. Key factors commonly cited in reliable reporting and biographical accounts include:
- Strained marriage due to Andrew’s naval career: He spent long periods away from home, which put a heavy load on the relationship especially in the early years. This contributed to growing distance between them.
- Public scrutiny and royal expectations: The pressures and public nature of royal life amplified tensions in their marriage, making it harder to sustain a private, stable partnership.
- Personal desire to pursue independent work: Ferguson has spoken about wanting to work and not being comfortable with the idea of a princess pursuing commercial or public roles that didn’t align with royal expectations at the time. This tension between personal ambitions and royal duties was a factor in their decision to formalize separation.
- Ongoing affection and practical arrangement post-divorce: Despite the divorce, they remained on good terms publicly, continued co-parenting, and even lived together at Royal Lodge for many years, which many observers interpret as a practical arrangement to maintain family stability and financial pragmatism.
If you’re looking for a concise timeline:
- They married in 1986 and separated publicly in 1992.
- The divorce was finalized in 1996.
- Since then, they have maintained a close, cooperative relationship and have shared living arrangements at times, including long-term residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Notes on sources:
- Modern coverage emphasizes that the divorce was born from a mix of career demands, personal aspirations, and the realities of royal life, rather than one discrete cause.
- Subsequent reporting continues to describe Ferguson’s ongoing partnership with Andrew as a stable, though non-romantic, arrangement focused on family and mutual support.
