Queen Elizabeth Was Reportedly Left ‘Stunned’ by Sarah Ferguson’s Divorce Demand
As per reports, Sarah Ferguson did not demand any kind of financial settlement after her divorce.
For decades, details surrounding Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s divorce have continued to make headlines, with royal watchers being fascinated by the former couple’s unusually close bond despite ending their marriage in 1996. From reports about palace tensions to their decision to continue living together long after their split, fresh claims and throwback revelations have repeatedly reignited public interest. In one such claim, it has now been revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly left 'stunned' by one of Ferguson’s key demands during her divorce.
As reported by Harper's Bazaar, the former Duchess of York asked the late Queen for her friendship rather than requesting the substantial financial settlement most palace insiders anticipated. She recalled this during a past interview and said, "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. But I wanted to be able to say, 'Her Majesty is my friend', not fight her nor have lawyers saying, 'Look, she is greedy.'"
Speaking of her relationship with Elizabeth, Ferguson said, "The queen and I always got on well. I uphold everything Her Majesty represents, has given up her life for." She then went on to add, "It's her duty. For her country, she's selfless to the grave." She even praised the Queen's mothering skills and stated, "I believe Her Majesty's done the best job she can. For me, she's been extraordinary." Ferguson and the former prince were separated following years of strain, reportedly caused by Andrew's demanding naval career. Due to the busy schedule, they were able to spend just 40 days together annually during their first five years of marriage. Apart from this, there were also rumors of Ferguson’s alleged infidelity.
However, offering her perspective, the former Duchess said, "I wanted to work; it's not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job." She added that although she never wanted a divorce, circumstances ultimately forced her into it, describing the period as one of the most 'painful' times in her life. Later on, the pair famously referred to themselves as the happiest divorced couple, continuing to co-parent their daughters while also living together at Royal Lodge for several years.
In recent years, things are said to have taken a different turn after Mountbatten-Windsor faced growing criticism due to allegations regarding his former ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, ultimately leading him to vacate his home. According to reports, the disgraced prince also lost his royal titles and is now said to be living a far more modest life. On the other hand, Ferguson has reportedly been moving between different locations, staying with friends as she adjusts to a more unsettled lifestyle.
