For years, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew presented themselves as 'the happiest divorced couple in the world', maintaining a shared home and public solidarity long after their 1996 split. That carefully cultivated image is now under scrutiny amid reports the Duke and Duchess of York are increasingly leading separate lives.

Their apparent decision to part ways after years of sharing Royal Lodge has prompted questions over whether their closeness reflected genuine friendship or a mutually useful arrangement that helped both remain in the royal orbit.

Royal biographer Andrew Lownie believes recent developments cast new light on the story the pair promoted.

The author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York argued that Ferguson's repeated description of herself and Andrew as the 'happiest divorced couple in the world' served as a 'convenient cover' that generated favourable publicity while helping preserve her royal connections and commercial profile.

For decades, the former couple continued living together, appearing at family events and publicly supporting one another through periods of personal and royal controversy. Their unusually close relationship, despite divorce, became a defining feature of the Yorks' public image.

Andrew and Sarah married at Westminster Abbey in July 1986 after a romance that began when they were introduced by Princess Diana the previous year. Their wedding, watched by millions around the world, was widely presented as another royal fairytale.

Behind the scenes, however, the relationship reportedly came under strain as Andrew's naval career kept him away from home for long periods.

Lownie alleges Ferguson grew increasingly lonely during those absences and later formed a relationship with American businessman Steve Wyatt, whose friendship with the Duchess drew media attention after photographs of the pair holidaying together were published in 1992.

Lownie also cites accounts from people formerly close to the couple claiming Andrew had multiple affairs during the marriage. Those allegations have never been publicly acknowledged by Andrew.

Just weeks after the photographs involving Wyatt appeared, Andrew and Sarah announced their separation in March 1992 before officially divorcing four years later.

Despite ending their marriage, the former couple remained notably close. They continued raising Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie together, spent holidays as a family and shared Royal Lodge in Windsor for many years, creating an arrangement that differed from most high‑profile royal divorces.

Ferguson consistently defended Andrew in public, even after he stepped back from royal duties following the fallout over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a 2018 interview, she described their wedding day as 'the happiest day of my life' and called Andrew 'the best man I know', saying they remained a united family despite no longer being husband and wife.

Those public declarations helped reinforce the image of an exceptionally close former couple, making recent reports that they are establishing separate homes particularly significant.

According to recent reports, Andrew has relocated following a series of personal and legal controversies, while Ferguson has increasingly been seen travelling abroad and making independent living arrangements.

Neither has publicly commented on the latest speculation surrounding their relationship.

Whether their decades‑long closeness reflected lasting friendship, shared family commitments or practical convenience remains a matter of debate.

As the former couple appears to move into separate chapters of their lives, the picture of the Royal Family's self‑described 'happiest divorced couple' is being reassessed.