Royal Exes Compared to ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ in Explosive New Book

A new royal biography is painting former Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s decades-long relationship as far more complicated than the image they publicly projected for years.

Royal author Andrew Lownie claims the Duke and Duchess of York stayed closely connected after their divorce, not because of romance, but because their arrangement benefited them both personally and financially, according to Fox News.

In an updated edition of his 2025 book “Entitled,” Lownie described the former couple as “Bonnie and Clyde,” arguing that scandal, loyalty, and business interests kept them tied together long after their marriage ended.

“The reason that they’ve stayed together is a professional business relationship,” Lownie told Fox News Digital.

“He was her calling card for money, and I think maybe he had a sentimental loyalty to her,” he said. “She, of course, was one of the last people to remain loyal to him and supportive of him.”

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 16: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York attend Katharine, Duchess of Kent’s Requiem Mass service at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025 in London, England. Katharine, Duchess of Kent was married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. She died on September 4 at the age of 92 at Kensington Palace surrounded by her family. Having converted to Catholicism in 1994, her funeral takes place at Westminster Cathedral and is the first Catholic funeral to be held for a member of the royal family in modern British history. Her Royal Highness will be laid to rest at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Andrew and Sarah divorced in 1996 after years of tabloid scrutiny surrounding alleged affairs and financial controversy. Despite officially separating, the two continued living together and often appeared publicly as a united family alongside daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

View of just-married couple Sarah, Duchess of York, and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, as they wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, England, July 23, 1986. (Photo by Derek Hudson/Getty Images)

VERBIER, SWITZERLAND – FEBRUARY 18: (L to R) The Duchess of York, Princess Eugenie, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice attend a photocall on February 18, 2003 in Verbier, Switzerland. Prince Andrew will celebrate his 43rd birthday on February 19. (Photo by UK Press/Getty Images)

WINDSOR, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 12: Prince Andrew, Duke of York Sarah Ferguson and Princess Beatrice of York attend of the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Mr. Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel on October 12, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Lownie argued the arrangement worked because both lived largely separate lives.

“They lived in a very big house, so they were at opposite ends,” he claimed. “They were more business partners than a couple.”

“I think a lot of the romance had gone,” he added. “They were having affairs even during the marriage, both of them.”

Over the years, Andrew developed a reputation as a royal playboy, earning nicknames such as “Air Miles Andy” and “Randy Andy” because of his lifestyle and frequent travel. Sarah, meanwhile, dealt with repeated financial troubles and public scandals tied to business ventures and debts.

Do you think Andrew and Sarah's relationship is more about business than romance?

Still, the pair remained publicly supportive of each other even as criticism mounted.

Sarah Ferguson (L), followed by Britain’s Prince Andrew, Duke of York, leaves St. George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle, after attending the Easter Mattins Service, on March 31, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)

ASCOT, UNITED KINGDOM – JUNE 21: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York attend day four of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 21, 2019 in Ascot, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Lownie claimed Sarah benefited from remaining connected to the royal family while Andrew appreciated her loyalty during periods of backlash.

“He’s sort of a playboy, but he also likes the comfort of being a married man with a family,” Lownie said. “So, he got the best of both worlds.”

The book also revisits how the Jeffrey Epstein scandal reshaped public perception of both Andrew and Sarah.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 12: In this photo illustration, multiple British newspapers with an image and joining story of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are seen on February 12, 2026 in London, England. Buckingham Palace has said it will support police in the investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Jeffrey Epstein, with a statement from The Prince and Princess of Wales saying they were “deeply concerned” by the latest revelations about Epstein. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

A person poses for a photo with a copy of the book “Nobody’s Girl – A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice” by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, in central London on October 21, 2025, on the day of its release in the UK. A memoir by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s main accusers whose claims led to the downfall of Britain’s Prince Andrew was released Tuesday, promising to keep Epstein’s ties to President Donald Trump in the spotlight. (Photo by Niklas HALLE’N / AFP via Getty Images)

Andrew stepped away from royal duties in 2019 after his widely criticized BBC interview about Epstein. He later settled a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when she was 17.

Andrew denied the allegations and said he had no recollection of meeting her.

The settlement was not an admission of liability.

Sarah also faced renewed scrutiny after emails discussing financial problems surfaced in documents connected to Epstein investigations. She has previously expressed regret over her association with Epstein and said her thoughts remain with his victims.

Lownie suggested the fallout surrounding Epstein permanently damaged both Andrew’s standing within the royal family and Sarah’s public image.

“It’s a waiting game at the moment,” he said. “I think [Andrew] may well end up in the Middle East. That would solve a lot of problems for the royal family.”