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Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s famously close relationship appears to have reached breaking point.
Once dubbed “the friendliest exes”, the Duke of York and his former wife are reportedly on the outs and looking to go their separate ways after years of sharing their Windsor residence, Royal Lodge.
According to Radar Online, tensions between the former couple have escalated as financial pressures mount and public support continues to fade. The outlet reports that Andrew and Fergie are now “barely speaking” and have been living at opposite ends of the sprawling 30-room mansion.
“The finances have dried up, and that’s when tensions really begin,” a source told Radar Online. “Sarah’s lost major deals – charities don’t want to be linked to her name right now. At the same time, Andrew’s income isn’t enough to keep Royal Lodge running. It’s turning into a standoff over money.”
The couple’s long-standing cohabitation arrangement, which began in 2008 despite their 1996 divorce, has reportedly become untenable amid Andrew’s continued fallout from his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, which led to the Duke being stripped of his royal titles and public duties.
The Sun reports that Andrew has agreed to vacate Royal Lodge if he can instead move into Frogmore Cottage, the former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Meanwhile, Fergie is said to have her sights set on nearby Adelaide Cottage once Prince William and Princess Kate relocate next month.
A friend close to the pair told The Sun, “Sarah and Andy have lived together at Royal Lodge since 2008 despite being divorced and seem like they are still a married couple. It’s incredible that they are willing to go their own separate ways. But it indicates that they have been under immense strain this year and need a break from one another. It’s a fresh start for both.”
The move comes amid renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s residency arrangement. As reported by The Times, the Duke has not paid rent on Royal Lodge since 2003. Documents reveal that Andrew secured a 75-year lease in 2003, paying £1 million upfront and investing at least £7.5 million in renovations. His annual rent? Just “one peppercorn (if demanded).”
However, any new royal housing deal reportedly comes with strings attached. The Sun claims that both Andrew and Fergie have been told they can only be offered new residences if they agree not to publish tell-all memoirs — a direct reference to Prince Harry’s explosive autobiography Spare.
“Andrew won’t write a book like Spare. He has promised the King,” a palace insider told the outlet. But there are whispers that Fergie could still be considering a return to writing. A second source revealed she has been in “exploratory talks” for a new memoir.
“A lot has happened since her last memoir almost twenty years ago, such as having cancer twice and becoming a grandparent,” the source added. “It is not designed to exonerate Andrew, but obviously, she would not be able to write him out of it, as he is an important part of her life.”
Sources also tell Examiner that Fergie has grown increasingly frustrated with Andrew over the continued backlash linked to their mutual friendship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Sarah is telling anyone who’ll listen that Andrew pushed her to reach out to Jeffrey Epstein for financial help years ago and that she’s paying the price for his mistakes,” one insider claimed. Meanwhile, Andrew reportedly blames his ex-wife for being “greedy” and for borrowing money from Epstein, accusing her of “living beyond her means and dragging him into one scandal after another.”
Though the pair have long maintained a united front and continued to share a home for nearly two decades, insiders say the relationship has now deteriorated beyond repair.
“They’ve turned against each other now,” the source said. “Their fights have become constant, and it’s gotten ugly.”
