Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew's unusual relationship as pair respond to romance claims

The relationship between Sarah Ferguson, affectionately known as Fergie, and Prince Andrew has set tongues wagging ever since they first began dating in 1985.

They wed in July 1986 and soon after had two daughters, Princess Beatrice in 1988 and Princess Eugenie in 1990, however being kept apart by Andrew’s Navy career took its toll on their marriage, and they separated in 1992 before divorcing in 1996.

Yet they have remained close ever since, with Fergie even keeping a room in Andrew’s home Royal Lodge, something which has led many people to speculate that they could reconcile.

The Duchess has also continually stuck by her ex-husband during his recent spate of royal scandals and has always insisted he is a “good man”.

Here Express.co.uk takes a deep dive into the different stages of their relationship and if there could be any truth to the rumours that they are back together.

Fergie and Andrew met as children, thanks to moving in the same aristocratic circles, however they were officially introduced as adults after being seated together at Royal Ascot in 1985.

Andrew’s sister-in-law Princess Diana, who had a close relationship with the future Duchess, felt they would be a good match and later invited them both to stay with her and then-Prince Charles at Highgrove.

Fergie also enjoyed a skiing trip to Klosters with Charles and Diana while Andrew was away at sea, and the couple became engaged on the Prince’s 26th birthday in February 1986 after a nine-month relationship, with the engagement being announced on March 19.

In 1996, when Fergie released her autobiography Sarah Duchess of York: My Story, she described the late Diana as like a little sister to her and they helped each other through the struggles of being outsiders in the Royal Family.

The Duke and Duchess of York married on July 23 1986 at Westminster Abbey in a lavish royal ceremony, just five years after Charles and Diana’s wedding.

Andrew’s niece Zara Phillips and nephews Prince William and Peter Phillips were a bridesmaid and page boys, with Prince Edward acting as his older brother’s best man.

Fergie’s extravagant wedding dress was designed by British couturier and fashion designer Lindka Cierach, and featured a corset bodice embroidered with the family crest, as well as a 17-foot train with the letter A for Andrew.

Her York tiara, a gift from the Queen, was hidden by a coronet of gardenias which she removed after signing her marriage certificate.

The couple enjoyed a five-day honeymoon in the Azores aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia before returning to royal duties.

Fergie and Andrew’s marriage was happy for a time, as they raised their daughters together as working members of the Firm.

However Andrew’s career in the Navy kept them apart, and it was rumoured that Fergie had begun to seek comfort in the arms of other men.

They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, with Fergie’s infamous toe-sucking pictures being leaked not long after they split up – a scandal which ostracised her from other members of the Royal Family.

During an interview in 2010 Fergie claimed that she only saw Andrew for 40 days a year during their marriage.

She said: “My deal was that I was marrying my man, who happened to be a prince and a naval officer.

“But what I got was not the man, I got the palace and didn’t get him… and the courtiers told me I had to go to Buckingham Palace and he had to go to sea.”

Despite divorcing 27 years ago, Fergie still stays at Royal Lodge, Andrew’s Windsor home, whenever she is in the UK, although she also has property in London.

They are known to still be the best of friends, with Fergie once saying: “We’re the happiest divorced couple in the world. We’re divorced to each other, not from each other.”

She told the Sunday Times in 2021: “I travel a lot and I’ve always been able to make wherever I am home. If I am staying in a hotel I have the same family photographs and scented candles around me.

“When I’m in the UK I’m lucky enough to stay at Royal Lodge. I wouldn’t call it my home as that would be presumptuous.”

The Yorks have continually supported each other ever since the early days of their relationship, as Andrew has hailed his ex-wife’s literary career as “fabulous”.

When Fergie was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year and had to undergo a mastectomy, Andrew took care of her and allowed her to recuperate at Royal Lodge.

The Duchess has also consistently defended her husband in the wake of his infamous friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his own sexual assault allegations, which he has always denied.

She previously told The Independent: “The Queen and I, when she was alive, we both bookended him to help him through this. So, we’re a very strong family unit. No one can break the York family.”

Over the years Fergie has been generally dismissive of rumours that she and her ex-husband could reconcile, but it is clear he will always have a special place in her heart.

She said in an interview with The Telegraph that they are “happy” with the way things are right now and they are committed to putting their family first.

Fergie explained: “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. Our bywords are communication, compromise and compassion.”