Sarah Ferguson is one of the most recognisable figures associated with the British royal family. Known to the public for decades as “Fergie”, she became the Duchess of York after marrying Andrew in 1986. Their marriage, separation and eventual divorce generated intense media interest, but Ferguson went on to build a career of her own as an author, television personality, producer and charity campaigner.
Her story has also been closely connected with major changes within the York family. She remains the mother of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and her relationship with her former husband has continued to attract public attention long after their divorce.
In 2025 and 2026, renewed scrutiny surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his association with Jeffrey Epstein also significantly affected Ferguson’s public position. Recent reporting says she has spent much of 2026 outside the UK but is now preparing to return.
Who Is Sarah Ferguson?
Sarah Margaret Ferguson was born on 15 October 1959 in London, England. She is the daughter of Ronald Ferguson and Susan Wright Ferguson and grew up in an upper-class British family with connections to the world of polo and the royal household.
Ferguson worked in public relations and publishing before entering royal life. She met Andrew in the mid-1980s, and their relationship quickly attracted attention because Andrew was a son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
They married at Westminster Abbey on 23 July 1986. Following the wedding, Sarah became the Duchess of York. The couple had two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Although her marriage ended, Ferguson remained a familiar figure in British public life. Her combination of an outspoken personality, media interest, charitable work and business ventures made her very different from the traditionally reserved image often associated with members of the royal family.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Sarah Ferguson‘s relationship with Andrew has been one of the defining features of her public life.
The couple announced their separation in March 1992 after less than six years of marriage. They divorced in 1996. Despite ending their marriage, however, they maintained a close relationship for many years.
The former couple continued to appear together publicly on occasions and, for a considerable period, lived at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Their unusual post-divorce relationship has frequently attracted media attention because Ferguson has continued to describe Andrew as an important part of her family life.
Their relationship is also important for understanding the position of their daughters. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have remained the central family connection between the former couple.
It is worth distinguishing Sarah Ferguson’s status from Andrew’s. Ferguson was not born a member of the Royal Family, and her former style was acquired through marriage. Under the 1996 Letters Patent, a former wife of a prince does not retain the style of Royal Highness after divorce.
More recently, Ferguson stopped using “Duchess of York” as a courtesy title after Andrew ceased using his own royal and peerage titles in 2025. Contemporary reporting has therefore increasingly referred to her simply as Sarah Ferguson.
Sarah Ferguson’s Children
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew have two daughters:
Princess Beatrice
Princess Beatrice of York was born in 1988. She is the elder daughter of Sarah Ferguson and Andrew.
Beatrice has developed a public profile through charitable activities, business interests and her role within the wider royal family. She married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.
Princess Eugenie
Princess Eugenie of York was born in 1990 and is the younger daughter of Sarah Ferguson and Andrew.
She married Jack Brooksbank in 2018. The couple have children and have generally maintained a lower public profile than some senior working members of the Royal Family.
In August 2026, the Royal Family announced the birth of Princess Eugenie’s third child, adding another generation to the York family.
For Sarah Ferguson, her role as a mother has remained a significant part of her identity. Even during periods of intense public scrutiny, her daughters have been an important source of continuity in her life.
Sarah Ferguson’s Career Outside the Royal Family
Ferguson’s career did not end when her marriage ended. In many ways, the post-royal period became a new phase of her professional life.
She has worked in several areas, including:
- Children’s publishing
- Television
- Film production
- Public speaking
- Brand partnerships
- Charity work
- Philanthropic projects
She has written books for children and adults, including the Budgie the Little Helicopter series and her autobiography My Story. Her publishing work helped establish an identity separate from her former royal position.
Ferguson also became known in the United States through television appearances and commercial work. Her willingness to discuss personal difficulties publicly made her a particularly distinctive figure compared with many other members of the British aristocracy.
Sarah Ferguson and Charity Work
Charity has been another important part of Ferguson’s public career.
In 1993, she founded Children in Crisis, an organisation focused on helping children access education and support. The charity later merged with Street Child in 2018.
Ferguson has also supported organisations working with children, cancer patients and other vulnerable groups. For many years, she was associated with the Teenage Cancer Trust and participated in fundraising and awareness activities.
Her charitable work illustrates an important aspect of her public life: she has repeatedly attempted to use her public profile for causes beyond the royal family.
That work has sometimes been overshadowed by controversy, but it remains a significant part of her career.
Sarah Ferguson as an Author
Writing has been one of Ferguson’s longest-running professional interests.
Her children’s publishing career includes the popular Budgie the Little Helicopter books. She has also written autobiographical and fiction titles.
Her writing career has allowed her to work independently of the formal structure of the Royal Family. Rather than relying solely on royal appearances, she developed commercial and creative projects that could continue after her divorce.
She has written for both younger and adult audiences, making publishing a recurring element of her professional identity.
Sarah Ferguson and A Very Royal Scandal
Sarah Ferguson also appears as a character in the wider dramatisation of the Andrew scandal.
A Very Royal Scandal is a three-part 2024 British television drama focusing primarily on journalist Emily Maitlis and Andrew’s infamous 2019 Newsnight interview. Ruth Wilson plays Maitlis, while Michael Sheen portrays Andrew. Claire Rushbrook plays Sarah Ferguson.
The series is not a biography of Ferguson. Instead, her character forms part of the story surrounding Andrew and the events leading up to the BBC interview.
The drama illustrates how Ferguson’s connection with Andrew has continued to influence how she is portrayed in popular culture, even decades after their divorce.
Sarah Ferguson and the Jeffrey Epstein Controversy
The most serious recent controversy surrounding Sarah Ferguson concerns her past association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Ferguson has faced scrutiny over her communications with Epstein, particularly after material relating to their relationship became public. She has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, but the association has nevertheless had significant consequences for her public reputation and professional relationships.
This distinction matters. Allegations concerning Andrew, investigations involving him and questions surrounding Ferguson’s own past association should not automatically be treated as evidence of criminal conduct by Ferguson.
Recent reporting indicates that the fallout has affected Ferguson’s charity and commercial activities, while she has spent a prolonged period away from public life.
The controversy has also occurred alongside major changes in Andrew’s own status. In 2025, formal changes were made concerning Andrew’s titles and style. The College of Arms records that the 2025 Letters Patent removed his title of Prince and style of Royal Highness.
These developments have inevitably changed the context in which Sarah Ferguson is discussed.
Where Is Sarah Ferguson Now?
As of August 2026, Sarah Ferguson is preparing to return to the UK after spending months abroad.
Recent reports say she has been living away from Britain, including time in Switzerland, and is preparing to rent a property in the UK. The precise details of her future plans remain subject to media reporting rather than official announcements.
Her return comes at a complicated moment for the wider York family. Andrew’s public position has changed dramatically, while Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have maintained their own family and professional lives.
Ferguson’s future public role is therefore likely to be quite different from the one she had during the years when she was widely known as the Duchess of York.
Sarah Ferguson and Princess Anne
Sarah Ferguson and Princess Anne occupy very different positions within the Royal Family.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, is the sister of Andrew and therefore Sarah Ferguson’s former sister-in-law. Anne has spent decades carrying out official royal duties and is widely associated with a highly disciplined approach to public service.
Ferguson’s relationship with the Royal Family has been fundamentally different because her royal status came through her marriage to Andrew rather than through birth.
The contrast between the two women also highlights the distinction between being a working member of the Royal Family and being connected to the family through marriage.
Sarah Ferguson’s Relationship With the Royal Family
Ferguson’s relationship with the Royal Family has never been straightforward.
She entered royal life as an outsider who quickly became one of its most recognisable personalities. Her energetic style contrasted with the restrained public image traditionally expected of senior royals.
Her divorce from Andrew removed her from the formal inner circle, but her continued relationship with him and her role as mother to two royal princesses kept her connected to the family.
Her relationship with Queen Elizabeth II was also notable. Ferguson has spoken warmly about the late Queen over the years, and her connection to the monarch remained an important part of the family’s story.
At the same time, Ferguson has experienced periods when the royal establishment and the wider media have distanced themselves from her.
That tension has followed her throughout much of her adult life.
Why Sarah Ferguson Remains a Publicly Interesting Figure
Sarah Ferguson’s enduring public interest comes from more than her former royal title.
Her life brings together several different stories:
- A conventional aristocratic upbringing
- A high-profile royal marriage
- Divorce and an unusual post-divorce relationship
- Motherhood within the Royal Family
- A successful children’s publishing career
- Television and media work
- Decades of charitable involvement
- Repeated controversies
- Her continuing connection to Andrew and the York family
Few people connected with the British monarchy have experienced such a dramatic shift in public circumstances while remaining recognisable to several generations.
Her story also reflects the changing nature of celebrity and royal life. Ferguson became famous partly because of the traditional media of the 1980s and 1990s, yet she has continued to attract attention in the age of streaming dramas, social media and rapidly changing news cycles.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sarah Ferguson
How old is Sarah Ferguson?
Sarah Ferguson was born on 15 October 1959. She is 66 years old as of August 2026.
Is Sarah Ferguson still married to Andrew?
No. Sarah Ferguson and Andrew married in 1986, separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. They nevertheless maintained a close relationship after their divorce.
How many children does Sarah Ferguson have?
She has two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Is Sarah Ferguson still the Duchess of York?
She was formerly known as Sarah, Duchess of York. Following Andrew’s decision to stop using his own peerage titles in 2025, Ferguson also stopped using “Duchess of York” as a courtesy title.
What is Sarah Ferguson famous for?
She is best known for her former marriage to Andrew, her years as Duchess of York, her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, her children’s books, television work and charity involvement.
Is Sarah Ferguson in A Very Royal Scandal?
Yes. Sarah Ferguson is portrayed by Claire Rushbrook in A Very Royal Scandal, the 2024 drama about Emily Maitlis’s Newsnight interview with Andrew.
What is Sarah Ferguson doing now?
As of August 2026, recent reports say Ferguson is preparing to return to the UK after spending several months abroad. Her future public and professional plans remain less certain amid continuing scrutiny surrounding her former husband and their past associations.
Sarah Ferguson’s Changing Legacy
Sarah Ferguson’s public life cannot easily be reduced to either royal glamour or controversy. Her decades in the public eye contain both.
She became famous through her marriage to Andrew, but she subsequently developed her own career as a writer, broadcaster, producer and charity campaigner. Her relationship with her daughters has also kept her connected to the modern royal family.
At the same time, the controversies surrounding Andrew and Ferguson’s own past associations have profoundly changed the way she is viewed.
Today, Sarah Ferguson is best understood as a former royal figure whose life has continued well beyond her marriage. Her career, family relationships and public controversies have all contributed to an unusually complex place in modern British popular culture.
As she returns to the UK in 2026, interest in Sarah Ferguson is likely to remain closely tied to both her independent career and her continuing connection to the York family.
