Diana Quietly ‘Leaked’ Andrew and Sarah’s Separation to ‘Distract’ From Her Own Divorce: Source
Fresh claims suggest Diana may have shaped the timing of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson's split. But what was she trying to hide?
The separation of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson in 1992 remains a case study in how private decisions inside the royal family slipped through the cracks and landed straight on the front pages. Their marriage had been on shaky ground for years, with long absences, changing expectations, and reported affairs playing a huge part. When the couple finally decided to part ways, the news reached the papers a day early. New accounts suggest that Princess Diana may have helped guide that leak to shield attention from her own troubled marriage with the then-Prince Charles.
Royal author Andrew Lownie, who has written extensively on the Yorks, makes this revelation in his book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York. Friends quoted by the author recall Mountbatten-Windsor admitting his marriage had run its course, especially after Ferguson’s long-rumored relationships with several men, including Texan Steve Wyatt and American financier John Bryan. One anecdote claims she once arranged for Bryan to arrive “in the boot of a car” to avoid being seen at Sunninghill Park. According to Lownie’s book, Mountbatten-Windsor was hardly a saint either. A former staff member of the royal household alleged that he had “more than a dozen” romantic encounters, even before the couple reached their first anniversary.
In late 1991, Queen Elizabeth reportedly advised the pair to pause and think carefully before making a final decision. The Palace had actually planned to announce their separation on March 19, 1992. Yet reporters got hold of the story a day early, leaving Palace aides scratching their heads. Charles Anson, the then press secretary of the late monarch, was said to have remarked privately that “the knives are out for Fergie,” and insiders initially blamed Ferguson’s camp for the breach. However, journalist Richard Kay, who shared a close relationship with Princess Diana, shared a different explanation. As per Lownie’s retelling of Kay’s account, "the separation had been leaked by Fergie's confidante, Diana, to distract press attention from her own troubles and test the reaction for her own intended divorce."
Apparently, the late Princess of Wales wanted to test the waters and see how the public reacted before revealing her own separation from Charles. In fact, author Tina Brown claimed in her book The Palace Papers that Diana had long been observing how Ferguson handled the fallout. "Diana, who knew she would soon face divorce herself, regarded her sister-in-law's negotiations as the road map of how to mess it up,” she wrote. When Ferguson leaned on advisors already tied to the royal establishment, Diana made sure to avoid the same trap. So, she hired Anthony Julius, a lawyer from outside royal circles. She is said to have needed someone who was not beholden to Palace expectations.
The contrast between the two women’s settlements also remains striking. Ferguson eventually walked away with approximately $380,000, a home, and funds placed in trust for her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Diana’s settlement, on the other hand, was far more substantial. She received a lump sum worth approximately $21.6 million, an annual allowance, and permission to continue living at Kensington Palace. Palace insiders have long argued that Diana’s position as mother of a future king naturally elevated her claim, though the difference in scale was striking.
