Queen Elizabeth II Once Asked Sarah Ferguson ‘Why On Earth’ Would She Marry Prince Andrew
Queen Elizabeth II had a fantastic sense of humor, according to those who were close to the late monarch. Royal correspondent Richard Kay says that the queen considered humor to be a “priceless regal skill” for both public appearances and personal interactions. In fact, he says that the queen once asked Sarah Ferguson “why on Earth” she would marry Prince Andrew.
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s marriage fell apart in the year Queen Elizabeth called ‘Annus Horribilis’
Andrew, the Prince of York, married Sarah Ferguson on July 23, 1986, after a whirlwind relationship and quick engagement. But after welcoming their two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, the marriage quickly fell apart. According to Hello! Magazine, Andrew’s demanding naval career kept him away from his family, and he only saw his wife about 40 days per year.
After Sarah’s photo scandal with American businessman John Bryan in 1992 — the royal family’s infamous “Annus Horribilis” — Andrew and Sarah legally separated, and she was estranged from the royal family. They officially divorced in 1996 but remained close and on good terms to co-parent their daughters. They actually still live together at the Royal Lodge in Windsor to this day despite being divorced for more than a quarter-century.
Queen Elizabeth asked Sarah Ferguson ‘why on Earth’ she would marry Prince Andrew
According to Kay, editor-at-large of The Daily Mail, the late queen once asked Sarah “why on Earth” she decided to marry Andrew — and she did it while Andrew and Sarah were still a couple.
“On one occasion, exasperated by the behavior of Prince Andrew, she sighed to her then daughter-in-law, Sarah Ferguson: ‘I am so glad you have taken Andrew off our hands, but why on earth did you do it?'” Kay wrote.
“The laughter that followed the remark hid the shadow that was already stealing across the marriage.”
Why do Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew still live together?
When asked in the summer of 2021 why she still lives with her ex-husband all these years later, Sarah simply said that it works for them. She noted that they are still co-parents who support each other and believe that family is everything.
“All I can say is that we’re happy with the way we are right now. We always say we are the most contented divorced couple in the world. We’re divorced to each other, not from each other,” Sarah said. “I’m proud of the job we have done together in bringing up our children and sustaining a strong family unit. Our bywords are communication, compromise, and compassion.”
Andrew and Sarah are taking care of the queen’s surviving corgis, Muick and Sandy, in the wake of her death in September. Sarah said it was a “big honor” to bring them home because the queen’s corgis are “national treasures.”
Per People, Sarah said of Queen Elizabeth that there was “no one like her,” and she wouldn’t do anything unless “the boss” gave her blessing. The former Duchess of York says that she’s always been inspired by the queen. And being able to have a relationship with her makes her “the luckiest person alive.”
