Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew won’t remarry because it would risk complicating their relationship, a royal expert has said.
Royal author Victoria Arbiter refuted long-standing claims the Duke and Duchess of York could one day re-tie the knot.
She told GB News: “There’s long been speculation regarding whether or not Andrew and Fergie will remarry. But their current situation seems to suit them both well so why complicate things?”
Prince Andrew proposed to Sarah Ferguson at Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders on February 19, 1986 – his 26th birthday. The couple went on to marry in a lavish Westminster Abbey ceremony just weeks later on July 23 that year.
It was then that the late Queen Elizabeth II conferred the titles of Duke and Duchess of York upon the newlyweds. But their relationship started to unravel relatively early on as the prince pursued his naval career while Fergie was at home raising their young children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The pair legally separated in 1992, with the infamous toe-sucking scandal breaking in August that year as intimate photos of the Duchess of York appeared with US businessman, John Bryan.
After that, Fergie became estranged from the Royal Family, with the Yorks’ divorce finally becoming official in 1996. Since then, relations between the Duchess of York and Windsors have thawed. She recently appeared alongside the royals during their annual Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham, with Queen Camilla said to have played a part in her return.
While the Duke and Duchess of York share a home – Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park – Ferguson maintains they are the most contented divorced couple.
Ms Arbiter pointed to the comment as she argued the Yorks are unlikely to remarry. She said: “Fergie’s previously said they’re the happiest divorced couple she knows so there’s little to be gained by remarrying.
“They’ve always shown immense loyalty towards each other and clearly their relationship works exactly as it is.”
Fergie is no doubt counting on the support of her ex-husband as she deals with the recent skin cancer diagnosis which followed her mastectomy.
The malignant melanoma was found after several moles were removed while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery after the operation. Doctors have been analysing the sample to see if it was caught early enough.
Now back at Royal Lodge, the Duchess spent some time at a wellness centre in Austria before returning to her family.
Ms Ferguson, 64, recently posted her first message since the news, writing on Instagram that she felt “incredibly thankful” to her medical team.
She said: “I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
“It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was. Naturally another cancer diagnosis has been a shock but I’m in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support.”
The Duchess praised the medics who cared for her, adding: “I believe my experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, colour and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma and urge anyone who is reading this to be diligent.
“I am resting with family at home now, feeling blessed to have their love and support.”
