Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s four-decade relationship and business dealings are set to take centre stage in a bombshell new royal biography.
Esteemed royal biographer Andrew Lownie has recently completed an examination of Andrew and Fergie’s forty-year partnership after previously tackling the marriages of the Mountbattens and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The new book, Entitled: The Controversial Lives of the Duke and Duchess of York, is set to hit booksellers later this year and will be the first in-depth biography on Andrew and Fergie’s unusual relationship.
The Yorks married in 1986 and quickly welcomed daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, before separating in 1992 and divorcing in 1996.
Despite divorcing almost three decades ago, the couple continue to live together at Andrew’s palatial home Royal Lodge and appear as a family at royal events.
“There’s a lot that’s going to shock people, I’ve spoken to about 100 people who have never spoken before,” Mr Lownie told SkyNews.com.au.
The respected royal author characterised the Yorks as “role-less” and preoccupied with maintaining the “high life” through wealthy friends and shadowy acquaintances, mostly from the Middle East and Central Asia.
“They’re both role-less, except in terms of they like making money and living the high life, I suppose that gives them a purpose,” he said.
The veteran author also claimed that some of his Freedom of Information requests had been denied by the British government, while high-profile sources were advised not to participate in the book.
Although Andrew, 64, arguably already lives in disgrace over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and settled sexual abuse lawsuit, Mr Lownie suspects the book will likely shift public perception towards the Duchess of York, 65.
Fergie has been embroiled in countless public scandals but has arguably rebuilt her reputation in recent years as a doting grandmother, cancer survivor and humanitarian.
Mr Lownie said Ferguson’s Achilles heel remains her lavish lifestyle and claimed the ex-working royal continues to live far more grandly than the likes of Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
“Even Edward and Anne don’t live at the rate (Fergie) did, she had five times as many staff as Diana,” he said.
He traced Ferguson’s penchant for largesse to her first serious relationship with Formula 1 entrepreneur Paddy McNally, who introduced the future Duchess to a life of ski chalets, yachts and jet-setting.
Mr Lownie said the “greedy” Duchess of York continues to wield significant power over her ex-husband, a similar dynamic to the notorious Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
“She does have a very dominant role over Andrew, which is exactly what Wallis had over Edward,” he said.
“It’s a trope of the Royal Family that they like strong women because they haven’t been properly mothered.”
According to Mr Lownie, Fergie’s unusual decision to continue living with Andrew at Royal Lodge went against the wishes of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
“Fergie is able to twist Andrew around her little finger and that was how she was able to move back in with him when the royal family was very keen for her not to be there,” he said.
Fundamentally, Mr Lownie believes the Duke and Duchess of York are different from Andrew’s three “sensible” siblings and lack Charles, Anne and Edward’s commitment to public service.
“They’re not people who were born for public service, even though they were born for public service,” he said.
Andrew Lownie’s upcoming biography, The Controversial Lives of the Duke and Duchess of York, will hit booksellers in 2025.