Prince Andrew and Fergie desperately keeping rekindled romance under wraps following Epstein scandal and hostility from Charles and Philip
HOLED up at a romantic retreat in the remote Spanish hotspot of Sotogrande, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson could pass for a happily married couple. But this holiday is anything but stress-free and relaxing for the former husband and wife. Just days earlier, their dream of staying with the Queen as a family at her […]
HOLED up at a romantic retreat in the remote Spanish hotspot of Sotogrande, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson could pass for a happily married couple.
But this holiday is anything but stress-free and relaxing for the former husband and wife.
Just days earlier, their dream of staying with the Queen as a family at her Scottish summer retreat, Balmoral, had been dashed.
First Prince Philip turned up early, forcing long-term enemy Fergie to flee.
It only got worse for Andrew with the suicide of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, his former close friend, turning his world upside down.
But, as ever, enterprising Fergie saw an opportunity. Here was her chance to pay back Andrew for his years of support and to cement their status as a reunited couple.
A senior royal insider says: “She wants to be his shoulder to cry on. She wants to be there for him in his hour of need.
“She feels this is like the old days when they would take on the world together.”
Behind the scenes, the Royal Family and staff, who call the pair the “royal odd couple”, are shocked by the twists and turns of the embattled twosome. Some courtiers are even asking the previously unthinkable question: Could Andrew and Fergie go public as a couple?
COSY HOLIDAY
They are now not seeing anybody else and are desperate to keep their rekindled relationship under wraps.
Indeed, for the visit to Balmoral last week, they flew there separately to avoid being pictured together.
The charade saw Andrew take his private jet, while Fergie landed a day later on a commercial flight ahead of their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.
The Queen’s insistence on having them both there is a sign that she has given their relationship her approval and now sees them as a reunited family.
This gives Fergie further confidence that she can re-establish herself in the royal fold.
But despite being together privately, two pivotal figures in the Royal Family are putting the brakes on them going public — Prince Philip and future king Prince Charles.
The staunch opposition has led to friends of Sarah and Andrew, both 59, having divided opinions about where the relationship is heading in the long term.
The Queen has always had a soft spot for Sarah
Royal Insider
Many feel the prospect of remarrying remains unlikely while Philip is around, despite his hostility towards Fergie thawing.
Another royal insider says: “They could never remarry while Prince Philip is alive.
“He is dead against Sarah and blames her for bringing shame on the royals in the Nineties.
“He still won’t be in the same room as her if he can help it, but made an exception for the royal weddings last year.
“The Queen has always had a soft spot for Sarah and says she has been a wonderful mother to Beatrice and Eugenie.
“She accepts that they have turned out well because their parents have been together in all but name.”
A major moment of national sadness could provide Fergie’s biggest window of opportunity.
The insider adds: “When Philip has gone, it wouldn’t surprise me if they remarry.
“They have both been through a lot and many relationships but there is something between them, an unbreakable bond which keeps them close. It’s a shame they broke up in the first place.”
But another royal source has a different take: “I don’t think they will ever remarry. The truth is that it suits Sarah to stay friendly with Andrew and it always has done.
“He has bailed her out financially on numerous occasions. She would be broke without him. Her trouble is she is actually very generous, if perhaps based on insecurity.
“As soon as she has any money she buys people presents and it’s almost as if she’s buying love and affection.”
Fergie has remained close to another former lover, the millionaire motorsports businessman Paddy McNally who was her first serious boyfriend. So an attachment to an ex is nothing new.
But Philip does not understand why The Duke of York has never been able to distance himself from his ex-wife.
REJOINING ‘THE FIRM’
The source adds: “Fergie does exert some sort of hold over him however, and he seems too weak to let go.
“Their daughters are now grown up, so they don’t have to live together. But he seems incapable of splitting up totally, which dismays Prince Philip, who can’t understand the set-up.
“It’s been like this for years and I don’t see it changing any time soon.”
Prince Charles is opposed to the idea of Fergie rejoining “the Firm”, believing she has brought embarrassment to the Royal Family.
His relationship with younger brother Andrew has been strained as a result. They do not get on personally, perhaps triggered by Fergie siding with Princess Diana over Camilla.
In her 1996 book, Fergie says of Diana: “She was two years younger than I, and I strove to support and protect her as I would a younger sister — as I still do today, as a best friend.”
Prince Harry is supportive of his aunt, who still has the title Duchess of York, given his close relationship with cousins Beatrice and Eugenie.
And Prince William is also on board with her renaissance, despite failing to invite Fergie to his 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton.
But the other major fear within the royal camp is Fergie’s desire to make money off her royal position.
It was revealed last week that she was handed almost £300,000 from a firm chaired by Hong Kong businessman Dr Johnny Hon, as well as a £72,000-a-year retainer for her non-executive directorship of his film- investment company.
According to multi-millionaire Dr Hon, Fergie’s role was introducing him to key contacts.
As far back as January 1997, she signed a £2million deal to become a WeightWatchers ambassador in the US, having already appeared in commercials for fruit juice brands and Olympus cameras.
She has also released 43 books, including Dieting With The Duchess in 1998, and even got cameos in hit comedies Friends and The Vicar Of Dibley, playing herself. Cash from these jobs went some way in helping Andrew to clear the huge debts she racked up.
Andrew, meanwhile, continues to enjoy an enviable lifestyle courtesy of a trust fund set up for him as a child.
‘FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS’
There is also an annual allowance from the Queen via The Sovereign Grant, which also pays for staff costs; his Royal Navy pension plus substantial investments in businesses and property.
ITV’s Royal Editor Chris Ship was the first to reveal Andrew and Fergie were “back together” in April.
But his bombshell story was officially denied by Fergie.
Later that month, The Sun confirmed that the couple were back together in a romantic relationship which pals branded “friends with benefits”.
Fergie had married Andrew in July 1986 at Westminster Abbey, sealing the union with a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of 100,000 people.
The couple announced their separation in 1992 after Fergie was pictured topless and having her toes sucked by her American financial adviser John Bryan on holiday in France.
Their divorce was finalised four years later, with the Palace announcing that the duchess would no longer carry out public engagements on behalf of the Queen.
These days the Yorks live together at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, but brought up their daughters in their official residence, Sunninghill Park in Berkshire, until 2004.
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Just four years ago, Fergie described herself and Andrew as “the happiest divorced couple in the world”, saying: “Extraordinary, really, isn’t it. We live in the same house, but then, it’s a big house, so that’s OK. But I think it’s really good that we believe in compromise and communication and compassion. And family.”
Fergie also says of Andrew: “He’s still my handsome prince, he’ll always be my handsome prince.”
In this extraordinary royal romance, the possibility can’t be ruled out.
A tale of warts and all...
FERGIE is no stranger to embarrassing situations.
In 1992 she was pictured topless and having her toes sucked by her US financial adviser John Bryan in St Tropez.
She used her links with the royals to sign a £2.5million contract with WeightWatchers in 1997.
And six months before Princess Diana died, Fergie claimed to have got a wart from shoes she had borrowed from her.
She scaled back plans for lavish 50th birthday celebrations in 2009 due to a lack of cash.
After being snubbed from William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, Fergie claimed: “I really love the feeling that sort of Diana and I both weren’t there.”
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