Why Sarah Ferguson And Prince Andrew Still Share A Home Years After Their Divorce

The imagery that comes to mind when we think of royals are opulent palaces, formidable castles, and lots of gorgeous jewelry. Perhaps fairy tales are to blame for this, and to blame for our fascination with members of royal families, particularly British ones. However — as we also have seen through stories from the late Diana, Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex — sometimes being in a royal family is not as glamourous at it may sound.

In July of 1986, Sarah Ferguson married Prince Andrew, making them the Duke and Duchess of York. Prince Andrew is the younger brother of the now King Charles III. The couple were not the next heirs to the throne, as Charles and his wife were. Despite this, and despite their divorce in 1992, the lives of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew still make people curious to this day, especially their odd living arrangements. 

After her divorce from Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson retained the title of Duchess of York, but not the title of Her Royal Highness. Divorce aside, things have not always been smooth sailing for the duchess. Though the couple was and remains less high profile than the now King Charles III and Princess Diana or Charles and the now Queen Camilla, they still dealt with their fair share of scandals. The Duchess was once caught receiving money in exchange for offering a tabloid insights on Andrew. The late Prince Phillip "always detested the Duchess of York," per Daily Beast. However, her relationship with Andrew is cordial — so cordial that she still speaks highly of Andrew and they still live together.

The Duchess and Prince Andrew live at the Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England. Andrew's grandmother lived there for 50 years before her death in 2002. It may sound strange to live with an ex-spouse, but the duchess has occasionally explained why it makes sense.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York opened up to USA Today about living with ex-husband Prince Andrew. "We're the happiest divorced couple in the world — 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," she stated. The Royal Lodge is indeed a big house. There are 31 rooms!

Princess Eugenia, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, married Jack Brooksbank in 2018. Later that year, she further discussed her family dynamics. "The Yorks are a united family. We've shown it. You saw it at the wedding." If their relationship is so positive, why don't they remarry? The Duchess explained that too. "We're so happy with the way we are right now. We enjoy each other's company ... I know it sounds like a fairy tale but that's the way we are," the duchess told the Daily Mail. She said that the whole family even ate pizza together at the Royal Lodge before the newlyweds set off on their honeymoon.