Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson's complicated relationship was full of twists and turns before they ever got involved with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In the late 1970s and early '80s, Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, earned the nickname "Randy Andy" for his many romantic relationships. He finally settled down when he tied the knot with Ferguson at the historic Westminster Abbey in July 1986, though their marriage was constant fodder for the press. While the couple welcomed two daughters - Princess Beatrice, born in 1988, and Princess Eugenie, born in March 1990 - Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson split in 1992 and formally divorced four years later. The former royal couple unexpectedly forged a close friendship after their divorce, with Ferguson even moving in with her ex-husband at Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2008. That period after their divorce brought both royals into the orbit of Epstein, a disgraced financier who also allegedly had ties to Bill Gates, Woody Allen, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, among other VIPs. (Epstein died at age 66 in August 2019 after being arrested on federal sex trafficking charges.) Following Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest for suspicion of misconduct in public office in February 2026, many questions remain over his and Ferguson's connections to Epstein. Prince Andrew Through the Years: Royal Life, Scandals, Title Drop and More Keep scrolling for more about the former Duke and Duchess of York's marriage below. When Did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Get Married? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's early reputation was as a playboy for his romantic exploits and a war hero for serving in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War. His most serious public relationship in this period was with Koo Stark, an American actress best known for a small role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Stark and Mountbatten-Windsor dated in the early 1980s but reportedly split due to the palace's disapproval of the coupling. Mountbatten-Windsor's subsequent romance with Sarah Ferguson was viewed much more favorably by Queen Elizabeth II and the young couple eventually married at London's Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986. On the eve of their wedding, Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson gave an interview to the BBC where they addressed media criticism of the future Duchess of York's weight. Ferguson said she was initially "upset" by the criticism of her body in the lead-up to the royal wedding. "You don't want to read nasty things about yourself," Ferguson admitted. "I'm quite happy with my own figure, quite happy with myself." Ferguson's wedding dress was designed by couturier Lindka Cierach and featured an embroidered "A" and "S" on the 17-foot train to commemorate the occasion. "I'm looking forward to knowing at the end of saying the vows that I haven't fluffed them," Ferguson joked. "I want to get on and get married now." Mountbatten-Windsor was much more private about his relationship with Ferguson though he offered a rare comment in Kitty Kelley's 1997 bestseller The Royals. "I know that the decision I made to marry Sarah was, and always will be, the best decision I have made, or ever will make in my life," he was quoted as saying. Did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Have Children? Buckingham Palace confirmed on August 8, 1988, that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson welcomed their first child, daughter Princess Beatrice, at London's The Portland Hospital. The princess weighed 7 lbs, 11 oz at the time of her birth. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, Captain Mark Phillips and Princess Margaret have been informed and are delighted," the palace statement read. Two years later, Princess Beatrice was joined by a younger sister when Princess Eugenie arrived on March 23, 1990. Born at The Portland Hospital like her older sister, the newborn Princess Eugenie weighed 6 lbs, 6 oz. As the princesses grew up, Mountbatten-Windsor publicly expressed his pride at his daughters becoming working members of the royal family. "As a father, my wish for my daughters is for them to be modern working young women, who happen to be members of the Royal Family, and I am delighted to see them building their careers," he said in a statement in 2016. Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson were both present in October 2018 when Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank at St. George's Chapel. Princess Beatrice tied the knot with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at Royal Lodge's Royal Chapel of All Saints in July 2020. When Did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Get Divorced? There were numerous reports in the British press about trouble in Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson's marriage throughout the early 1990s. On March 19, 1992, Buckingham Palace finally confirmed the royal couple had separated. "The Duke and Duchess of York have agreed to separate formally. They have been separated for some time," the palace said. "There