Fresh allegations have surfaced about the turbulent marriage of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, with a new report claiming the Duchess of York engaged in sexual acts with her American lover in the Prince's private study after he had retired for the evening.
The Scandal That Rocked a Marriage
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, who famously dubbed themselves 'the happiest divorced couple ever', have long been dogged by claims of mutual infidelity throughout their marriage. While Fergie's infamous toe-sucking photographs with her financial advisor lover, John Bryan, were publicly credited with ending the union, new details suggest the affair was far more brazen than previously known.
According to a report highlighted by the Daily Mail, when Bryan stayed at the couple's Windsor home, Sunninghill Park, he and Sarah would indulge in sex acts in Andrew's study after the prince had gone to bed. The Queen's former private secretary, Lord Charteris, reportedly condemned the behaviour as 'vulgar, vulgar, vulgar'.
Life Under the Same Roof
Dr Allan Starkie, a former friend, detailed the extraordinary living arrangements in his memoir, 'Fergie - Her Secret Life'. He claimed that Prince Andrew, seemingly unaware of his wife's ongoing affair, continued to share a bedroom with Sarah at Sunninghill Park, a home gifted to them by the Queen.
John Bryan had ostensibly positioned himself as a business advisor to the Duchess, aiming to boost profits from her children's book, Budgie the Helicopter. This provided a cover for his frequent presence in their home. Despite falling 'head over heels' for Bryan, Sarah was reportedly left 'hysterical' when Andrew phoned to announce their separation, with the Prince apparently indicating the decision was not his own.
The Royal Fallout and Lasting Consequences
The public exposure of the affair triggered a severe backlash within the royal family. An explosive summer biography, 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York' by Andrew Lownie, alleges that Princess Anne berated Sarah Ferguson over dinner, with no one present defending the Duchess.
The book states, 'There was not one voice raised against Anne. Andrew's anger melted into sadness, and he buried himself in the special reports compiled for the Queen, which she did not hesitate to let him read.' A servant present when Sarah was confronted by the late Queen Elizabeth II described her reaction as strange, as if she were the one who had been wronged.
Despite the scandals, which saw Fergie banished from the inner royal circle for years, the pair have remained remarkably close, living together at Royal Lodge for decades. However, this chapter is now closing. With their imminent eviction from Royal Lodge, the former couple are finally parting ways. Disgraced Prince Andrew is set to move to a home on King Charles's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, while Sarah Ferguson's future residence is yet to be confirmed.
