A resurfaced interview has revealed the surprising demand Sarah 'Fergie' Ferguson made to the late Queen Elizabeth II during her divorce from Prince Andrew. In a 2007 interview with Harper's Bazaar, the former Duchess of York disclosed that she did not request a financial settlement, but instead asked for the monarch's friendship.
"When I met with Her Majesty about it, she asked, 'What do you require, Sarah?' and I said, 'Your friendship,' which I think amazed her because everyone said I would demand a big settlement," Ferguson said. "But I wanted to be able to say, 'Her Majesty is my friend.'"
She added, "I still see, love, and admire [the Queen]," describing the divorce as "the most painful time of my life." Sarah and Andrew separated in 1992 after six years of marriage, finalizing their divorce in 1996. The pair have long maintained an amicable relationship, calling themselves "the happiest divorced couple."
According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, Ferguson still referred to Andrew as her "husband" years after their separation. "I remember on one occasion a long time ago I was with her and [Andrew] rang up and she stood up and said, 'Hello husband,'" Seward told The Mirror. "He wasn't really her husband at that point as they had separated, but that's how they've always seen each other."
Ferguson and Andrew even lived together at Royal Lodge from 2008 until their eviction in February 2026. Royal expert Andrew Lownie noted that despite sharing a residence, they had limited contact. "Sarah had her own set of apartments at the opposite end of the house, and although they did meet and speak on the phone, I don't think there was much contact," he said. "There was always this rather cynical idea that he was her calling-card for business and seeing members of the royal family."
Both Ferguson and Andrew have recently faced scrutiny after their names appeared in the US Department of Justice's latest Epstein files. They have denied any wrongdoing.
