Sarah Fergusonand Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will have been divorced 30 years this May, and yet the former couple have long maintained a close relationship. Since 2008, Sarah, 66, has lived with Andrew at Royal Lodge, though the pair are set to go their separate ways with the King's brother's move out of Windsor to Sandringham after he lost his royal titles and honours in November amid his renewed links to the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
In an unearthed interview from 2011, the former Duchess of York offered an insight into her relationship with her ex-husband, whom she divorced in 1996, while sitting down with 60 Minutes, the Australian current affairs programme.
© Getty ImagesOf their enduring bond, Sarah said: "We have a great love, a great respect, a great understanding. He's an extraordinary human being. He does an enormous amount for this country, for Great Britain, and he really does have a hard time in the press too."
Sarah addresses Andrew's 'bad press'
The interviewer asked the mother of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie if Andrew got bad press because of her actions. She has previously been embroiled in scandal, having been caught in a tabloid sting operation in 2010 after offering to sell access to Andrew to News of the World for £500,000. Years before, in 1992, she featured in compromising photographs with John Bryan, an American financial manager, on holiday in St Tropez that were printed by the Daily Mail.
To the question about whether she was responsible for her ex-husband's bad press, Sarah said: "No, he receives bad press because he's his own person, nothing to do with me."
How has Andrew supported Sarah financially
Soon, the conversation moved to the financial aspect of Sarah and Andrew's relationship. At the time of the interview, Sarah had overcome financial difficulties after getting into debt.
© O'Malley/WPA Pool/Shutterstock"We've supported each other in lots of different angles, and we're always there for each other," the former royal said of Andrew's financial support. "But, there's no question about it, he has been completely extraordinary, especially in the last year. He's really stood by me and has helped me, and I'm now debt-free, and it's a pretty great place to be."
Andrew was instrumental in clearing Fergie's debts, while in 2012, she also admitted to having accepted a loan of £15,000 from Jeffrey Epstein to pay off some of her debts.
She told the Standard in 2012 of her decision: "I personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me. I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf.
© Getty Images"I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again."
A new phase
Sarah and Andrew's relationship is entering a new phase since they lost their titles as Duke and Duchess of York at the tail end of 2025. Of Andrew's eviction (and consequently, Sarah's) from Royal Lodge at the hands of King Charles, a source told HELLO!: "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.
© Getty"She won't be moving into Beatrice's Cotswolds home, though. Eugenie's home in Portugal is a contender while she finds somewhere." Meanwhile, ahead of Andrew's move, he is thought to be residing at an "interim home" until Marsh Farm at Sandringham is ready for him.
