Disgraced Prince Andrew's Ex-Wife Revealed Why Their Marriage Broke Down
Sarah Ferguson claims she only saw Andrew 40 days a year.
It's hard to believe that once upon a time, the most scandalous thing about Prince Andrew's life was his divorce from Sarah Ferguson. Andrew started dating Fergie back in 1985, marrying her at Westminster Abbey in 1986. The couple went on to have two daughters before separating in 1992 and finally divorcing in 1996.
At the time, their split was highly sensationalized, dominating magazine covers and gossip columns for years. Of course, there was lots of speculation as to why the couple split. Over the past decade, the Duchess of York has opened up about details of their marriage and, ultimately, what led to its demise.
In one interview, Ferguson (who is also known as Fergie) explained to Rosie magazine that one of the hardest things she had to deal with while married to Prince Andrew was that he was never around. She revealed that she spent eight months alone while pregnant with her first child as her husband's career in the Royal Navy took off. She maintains that her father–in–law, Prince Philip, forbade her from living with Andrew, where he was stationed.
"My deal was that I was marrying my man, who happened to be a prince and a naval officer," she told US TV host Ernie Manouse in 2010. "But what I got was not the man, I got the palace, and didn't get him. For our marriage, I saw him 40 days a year."
In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2007, Fergie was asked to give Kate Middleton advice before she walked down the aisle with Prince William. "All I'd say is [to Kate], no matter what, stay with your man; don't let him be taken from you. Prince or no prince, love that man, and that love will hold him," she said.
"I married my boy, who happened to be a prince and a sailor, because I loved him— and still do—my only condition being, 'I have to be with you.' And two weeks after the wedding, the courtiers told Andrew, who thought he'd be stationed in London, 'You have to go to sea,'" she continued.
"I spent my entire first pregnancy alone; when Beatrice was born, Andrew got 10 days of shore leave, and when he left and I cried, they all said: 'Grow up and get a grip.' So don't let them tell you what to feel, how to do things, who you are. Be yourself."
In her interview with Harper's Bazaar she was asked why she wanted to divorce officially, and she maintained it had to do with her career. "I wanted to work; it's not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job."
