Sarah Ferguson Opens Up About What Her Life Is Really Like Today

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has been in the public spotlight ever since she began dating Prince Andrew, the son of Queen Elizabeth II. Sarah and Andrew wed in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in July 1986, according to Town & Country, which only sparked more interest in the woman who had married into the British royal family. Over the years, they welcomed Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie into the world before separating in 1992 and revealing that they were divorcing in 1996.

Granted, following Sarah and Andrew's split, the two have stayed friends, with the duchess herself saying in 2016 (via T&C), "We've never really left each other." Even Eugenie explained, "They are the best divorced couple I know." That may be the case, however, Sarah is much more than just the former wife of a royal. That's why she's now opening up about what her life is really like today and what led her to discover more about who she actually is.

Sarah Ferguson may be the Duchess of York, however, she explained that those two parts of who she is are like two separate identities. The third is "Fergie," which is the famous nickname that's often been used by the press and public alike to refer to the royal. While she's had to manage all three, now she's more focused on herself as she truly is. "It's like I've gotten out of my own way," the royal to People. "I've really become Sarah. The Duchess is there. Good old Fergie's there too. But Sarah is authentically present."

So, what's making Sarah feel so much like herself these days? She explained that while writing her fictional romance novel, "Her Heart for a Compass," she discovered something she might not have expected while delving into the inspiration for the story, her ancestor, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott. "In researching her, I found out more about my own DNA, and I found that resilience and courage and sense of hope and optimism," Sarah said. Also noting that she needs "to be aware that trying to be perfect is no longer necessary," she pointed out "that actually being Sarah is just enough."

Along with focusing on herself, however, it now appears that Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, will need to carve out some time for two new furry friends. 

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a spokesperson revealed that Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson would take over caring for the late monarch's pet corgis, Muick and Sandy. Per The Guardian, it was Prince Andrew who first gifted his mother Muick, along with a dachshund-corgi mix named Fergus. Sadly, Fergus passed away in May 2021. Fortunately, however, Muick wasn't lonely for long. On the queen's 95th birthday, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie surprised the queen with another corgi, Sandy.

But why did Queen Elizabeth II tap the divorced Duke and Duchess of York as the caretakers of her beloved corgis? Besides the fact that they still live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor, one source claims that the queen and the duchess shared a mutual love of animals. "The Duchess bonded with Her Majesty over dog walking and riding horses and, even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with Her Majesty, by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting," a royal insider told The Telegraph. Still, not everyone was pleased with the arrangement. "Update my passport, I need to go rescue the Queen's corgis from Prince Andrew!" one Twitter user wrote. And speaking of Prince Andrew...

Sarah Ferguson is still standing by her man Prince Andrew.

The Duke of York found himself embroiled in the scandal of all scandals in April 2015 when Virginia Giuffre alleged in court documents that Jeffrey Epstein forced her to have sex with the royal when she was a minor, per The Guardian. Amid the allegations, however, the Duchess of York had her duke's back. "I loved him and I still love him today, I will stay by his side, because I believe in him, [he] is a good man," she declared in a December 2021 interview with Madame Figaro (via the Daily Mail). And following Prince Andrew being stripped of his military titles and his settlement with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount, Ferguson appeared to echo the same sentiment. While doing press for her novel "Her Heart for a Compass," in May 2022, Ferguson confidently told The Metro "The York family are a united front and we stand very strong and very tall. When the winds get violent, we keep standing."