Sarah Ferguson Isn't Shy About How Marrying Into The Royal Family Felt

Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, has certainly had an interesting journey as a member of the royal family. Despite being a pariah among members of the monarchy for a time, Ferguson has slowly worked her way back into the royals' good graces. She even reconciled with former brother-in-law King Charles III after his father, the late Prince Philip, infamously banned her from royal events following an embarrassing incident back in the early '90s. For her part, Ferguson hasn't been shy about discussing what it was like to marry into the royal family, confessing that she may have gotten a bit too caught up in all the glitz, glamor, and attention — and struggled to cope with it all.

"When [Andrew and I] married [in 1986], I was 'the breath of fresh air.' Everyone loved me — it was addictive," Ferguson said in a late-2024 interview with The Times. "I think what I did wrong was I got lost, probably trying to be like Diana. I was an addict to food. The fact I could eat my emotions was the only thing that saved my life. I was huge, more than [196 pounds] when I had Beatrice in 1988, and I think I had postnatal depression. Everybody said, 'You're the Duchess of Pork,' and I believed my critics. But the Queen never lost me. The best advice she gave me was the last thing she said to me: 'Sarah, remember that yourself is good enough.' It makes me cry."

Of course, in the years since splitting from Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew has become something of a royal outcast in his own right, owing to allegations of sexual assault and ties to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, among other scandals. But despite the fact that he's been disgraced, Ferguson told The Times that she would go back in time and marry Prince Andrew "all over again" if given the choice. "He's the best, a great man with a great heart, and kind," she said. "Our wedding was the best day of my life. ... I won't let him down. He supports me as much as I support him. He's supported me through thick and thin, not just marriage or divorce."

Notably, even though the two have been separated since 1992 — and divorced since 1996 — Ferguson and Prince Andrew have not only remained friends, but have even continued to live together. "We always say we are the most contented divorced couple in the world. We're divorced to each other, not from each other," Ferguson told The Telegraph in July 2021. "We are co-parents who support each other and believe that family is everything. I'm proud of the job we have done together in bringing up our children and sustaining a strong family unit." Still, cordial relationships and hypothetical "what if" scenarios aside, Ferguson and Prince Andrew are unlikely to ever actually get back together as a couple.