Sarah Ferguson Says She Is Divorced ‘To’ Not ‘From’ Prince Andrew

In her first full interview in 20 years, Sarah Ferguson has been getting candid about her relationship with ex-husband Prince Andrew.

‘We’re the happiest divorced couple in the world. We’re divorced to each other, not from each other,’ she told journalist Frances Hardy, who spent two days with Fergie to find out more about her.

When Hardy asked Fergie whether she still loves her ex-husband, she replied in a somewhat roundabout way; ‘We both say it. We are completely compatible. Our bywords are communication, compromise and compassion.

‘July 23, 1986 was the happiest day of my life. Andrew is the best man I know. What he does for Britain is incredible; no one knows how hard he works for his country. My duty is to him. I am so proud of him. I stand by him and always will. The way we are is our fairy tale.

‘Although we are not a couple, we really believe in each other. The Yorks are a united family. We’ve shown it. You saw it at the wedding. We stand up for each other, fight for each other. We’re totally respectful of each other’s position and thoughts and we listen to each other. Our children listen to us, too.'

Despite all this mutual respect, Fergie is still banned from Christmas with the royals at Sandringham, but she revealed she still watches the coverage on TV, ‘I will watch Ben-Hur and really enjoy it, then watch the news and see how the girls are doing. I know that Her Majesty adores my children, so I am happy to share them.’

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One event she didn’t have to watch from afar was the wedding of her daughter Eugenie earlier this year. She won the public over once again with her relatable facial expressions, mischievous smile and emotional reaction to seeing her daughter walk down the aisle.

‘I always went to weddings and thought: “Why is the mother-of-the-bride crying?”’ she told Hardy. ‘But I completely understand why now. It’s because it’s so amazing to think your daughter is now grown up, leaving home and starting her own life.’

‘I’d just sat down in the chapel and everyone saw me go “Phew” because I’d managed not to slip over in my high heels; then I looked across and saw my sister (Jane) and I watched her face and there were tears — and I’m doing it again, I’m welling up now.’

By all accounts, Fergie is very much ‘back’. She recalls being told when she got married; '“You mustn’t make faces when you go out. You mustn’t do this or that.”' It seems she’s long shaken off any of the royal protocol she found stifling; ‘I just want to be myself. I’m 59 but I feel about eight years old.'