Former Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson dubbed royal family’s ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ as Epstein fallout grows: author
Former Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were once coined the "happiest divorced couple" — but one royal author said they were more like "Bonnie and Clyde," bound by scandal, chaos and nonstop drama.
Andrew Lownie’s extended version of his 2025 book, "Entitled," revisits Andrew and Sarah’s decades-long relationship as scrutiny surrounding Andrew’s ties to Epstein continues generating headlines in Britain and abroad.
Fox News Digital reached out to the former couple for comment about Lownie’s book and its claims. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace previously told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on books.
FERGIE WOULD MARRY EX PRINCE ANDREW 'ALL OVER AGAIN' DESPITE SCANDALS
"The reason that they’ve stayed together is a professional business relationship," Lownie told Fox News Digital. "I describe them as Bonnie and Clyde. He was her calling card for money, and I think maybe he had a sentimental loyalty to her. She, of course, was one of the last people to remain loyal to him and supportive of him. And I think he felt grateful for that."
"He’s sort of a playboy, but he also likes the comfort of being a married man with a family," Lownie said. "And so, he got the best of both worlds — at least the impression that they were a happy family while still being totally independent."
Despite years of controversy, Andrew and Sarah have frequently presented themselves publicly as a close-knit family focused on co-parenting their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
WATCH: ROYAL AUTHOR DETAILS FORMER PRINCE ANDREW, SARAH FERGUSON'S UNUSUAL DYNAMIC
Sarah became the Duchess of York when she married what many described as Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite son in 1986. However, a happily ever after wasn't to be. Over the years, the marriage was dogged by tabloid rumors of extramarital relationships.
Andrew earned the nicknames "Air Miles Andy, "Playboy Prince" and "Randy Andy" for his lavish lifestyle and womanizing reputation. Meanwhile, Sarah was romantically linked to Texas oilman Steve Wyatt, which Vanity Fair reported was an open secret in royal circles.
There was also "Toegate" in 1992, when the Daily Mirror published photos of a topless duchess with John Bryan, another businessman from Texas, while vacationing in the South of France. Andrew and Sarah officially divorced in 1996.
The relationship between the former couple didn’t end there.
Despite Sarah’s numerous commercial ventures, she and her ex-husband continued living together.
"They lived in a very big house, so they were at opposite ends," Lownie said. "They were more business partners than a couple. I think a lot of the romance had gone. They were having affairs even during the marriage, both of them. So I don’t think there was a huge sense of, shall we say, fidelity there," Lownie alleged.
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"She hung in there because he was a member of the royal family, and that was her calling card for business," he claimed. "So, it was just a myth that they projected."
Lownie said he was not surprised by reports that Andrew allowed Sarah to entertain alleged romantic partners in their shared home even after they called it quits.
"He was much more generous when it came to her having her own relationships," he claimed.
Lownie, who has written extensively about the royal family, said he believes Andrew relied heavily on Sarah’s loyalty during periods of public backlash.
"He had other preoccupations," said Lownie. "… [Meanwhile], she often went off and stayed with boyfriends," Lownie claimed.
Over time, the eyebrow-raising arrangement between the exes became increasingly controversial. Sarah endured recurring financial scandals, including debt issues and the 2010 undercover "cash-for-access" sting in which she appeared to offer access to Andrew in exchange for money. Andrew faced criticism over lavish taxpayer-funded travel, questionable business associates and his reputation as a royal playboy.
Rather than distancing themselves from each other as scandals mounted, they remained publicly loyal and closely connected, creating the perception that they were still a united royal family.
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"The reason that Fergie continued to live with Andrew was because she moved back in after she ran up a huge number of debts renting very expensive properties," Lownie said. "And I think they felt the solution was that if she moved in with him, that would solve the problem. He was away a lot, and she was away a lot promoting Weight Watchers and Wedgwood in the States. He was on naval bases or ships. So it made sense for them to live together."
Sarah has previously described Andrew publicly as one of her closest confidants and has insisted their post-divorce relationship remained rooted in friendship and family.
While Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II were reportedly opposed to the former couple continuing to live together, Lownie claimed Sarah persuaded Andrew that maintaining the arrangement would benefit their two daughters by ensuring both parents remained closely involved in their lives.
"I think the queen was keen that Sarah and Andrew were happy for the sake of her grandchildren," Lownie said. "She was the one who encouraged them to divorce, saying it looked terrible that they were having these affairs in public. She kind of forced it on them. I think she was fond of Sarah, but she had no illusions about what she was like. Prince Philip certainly had no illusions."
Lownie noted that while the late queen may not have approved of some of the women Andrew was linked to, he did not believe that it necessarily meant she wanted him to reunite with Sarah.
But their connection to Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender, ultimately eclipsed every scandal that came before it.
On Feb. 19 — his 66th birthday — Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office during an inquiry linked to his ties to Epstein. After being held for 11 hours, Thames Valley Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that he had been released.
Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing related to Epstein and has not been criminally charged in connection to the case.
Six companies linked to Sarah were shut down amid renewed attention surrounding her past ties to Epstein. It's understood that no creditors were owed money.
An email from Sarah about "desperately" needing money surfaced after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released more than three million records related to Epstein, including his personal emails. Inclusion in the files does not necessarily imply wrongdoing.
Like Andrew, Sarah claimed she had cut off all contact with Epstein. Fox News Digital previously reached out to her representative for comment about the DOJ’s release.
Epstein died in custody in 2019.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein, accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17. The American woman filed a civil lawsuit alleging she was forced to have sex with the disgraced duke three times.
The case was settled out of court in 2022. Andrew has consistently denied Giuffre’s allegations and said he had no recollection of meeting her. The settlement agreement stated it was not an admission of liability.
The 41-year-old died in 2025. Her posthumous memoir, published in October, reiterated her claims.
Andrew announced in October that he was giving up his royal titles, and the palace confirmed later that month that King Charles III had "initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew."
The decision followed Andrew’s initial step back from public life in 2019 after his BBC interview, in which he discussed his relationship with Epstein. On Feb. 3, Andrew vacated Royal Lodge three months after the king ordered him to surrender his lease.
A spokesperson for Sarah previously told The Guardian: "The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims."
"It’s a waiting game at the moment," Lownie said. "I think [Andrew] may well end up in the Middle East. That would solve a lot of problems for the royal family, keep the story under wraps and get them away from public view."
Lownie speculated about what Sarah’s future relationship with the royal family could look like financially. Before the Epstein fallout, friends and insiders believed the former couple considered remarrying.
"Sarah Ferguson is clearly not going to make money in the way she did. So it’s going to be a question of how she supports herself. Will she eventually be paid off by the royal family with some sort of pension to keep her quiet? Will she find another rich benefactor or husband? She’s no longer the figure she once was."
