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Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew‘s friendship has long been a topic of speculation, but the rumor mill went into full-force when the Duchess of York escorted the prince on a royal visit to Bahrain last weekend.
It doesn’t help that ITV’s royal editor essentially cited the trip as proof of a blossoming “relationship.” In the brief article, the news site points out that Fergie has not been on an official royal visit with her ex in at least 25 years.
The Sun added further fuel to the fire when they claimed the Duchess was listed as an “official partner” of the Prince’s. However, the publication didn’t cite a source for the information.
So, what’s the truth?
Well, according to a source, the rumors are just rumors. “Reports of a reconciliation between Prince Andrew and Sarah are incorrect,” our source says. And in a statement released to Vanity Fair, Sarah’s press office confirmed, “The Duke and Duchess remain good friends as they have been for many years, and nothing has changed.”
Moreover, multiple sources tell Vanity Fair that a full-blown reconciliation isn’t in the cards for the Duke and Duchess of York, who formally separated in 1996. “I was with her around the time of Eugenie’s wedding, and she and Andrew were getting on so well I asked her if they’d ever marry again and she laughed and said, ‘No way, never’,” a family friend told the publication.
While Sarah is firmly against the idea of marrying her former husband, that doesn’t mean they don’t get along. The pair has lived together at the Royal Lodge since 2004 and continue to take family vacations with their daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. In fact, their trip to Bahrain was technically a family vacation since Princess Beatrice and her new beau, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, joined them for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
However, that doesn’t mean Prince Andrew and Sarah are “friends with benefits” as The Sun reports.
Fergie said it herself in an interview with the Daily Mail in November. In response to questions about a potential re-coupling, Fergie said, “So many people have asked me that, but we’re so happy with the way we are right now. We enjoy each other’s company; we allow each other to blossom. I know it sounds like a fairy tale but that’s the way we are.”
It must be noted that Sarah speaks very fondly of the Prince, despite their dramatic divorce. “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,” the mother-of-two gushed. “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.”
So, who knows! Only time will tell what will happen between these two!