The Duke and Duchess of York are selling up after allegedly missing a payment deadline on December 31 to pay £5million, which had now risen to £6.7million with interest. The original owner has launched legal proceedings against the pair of them in a bid to recover the money.
A source close to Sarah and Andrew told The Telegraph that “income streams had dried up” in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and they had had to ask for more time to make the final payment on the £15million property in Verbier.
Despite divorcing in 1996, Sarah – affectionately known as Fergie – and Andrew remain very close.
They even carried on living together for many years after their divorce and have publicly praised and defended each other numerous times.
There have been many rumours over the years they might even get married again and these were sparked again by some cryptic words from Fergie in an interview with the Daily Mail in 2018.
The Duchess said: “We’re the happiest divorced couple in the world.
“We’re divorced to each other, not from each other. We both say it. We are entirely compatible.
“Our bywords are communication, compromise, and compassion.”
The Duke and Duchess have two daughters together – Princess Beatrice, 31, and Princess Eugenie, 30, who they raised together.
Fergie, whose own parents divorced when she was young, said she felt like it was her fault they split up and comfort ate to mask the pain.
She said she wanted to make sure her girls never felt like that.
The Duchess said: “Of course we’re human, both Andrew and I, but when we walked through the door we never brought our adult problems to the children. This is always our rule.”
Reflecting on their relationship, Fergie said that their wedding day – July 23, 1986 – was the happiest day of her life.
Even in 2018, over two decades since their divorce, she only had the best things to say about Andrew.
She said: “Andrew is the best man I know. What he does for Britain is incredible: no one knows how hard he works for his country.
“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.
“Although we are not a couple, we really believe in each other. The Yorks are a united family. We’ve shown it. You saw it at [Eugenie’s] wedding.
“We stand up for each other, fight for each other. We’re totally respectful of each other’s position and thoughts and we listen to each other. Our children listen to us, too.”
When asked specifically whether she and Andrew would remarry, she 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.”
Prince Andrew has been under intense scrutiny in recent months over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In November 2019, he took part in an interview with Emily Maitlis for BBC Newsnight, which was widely regarded to be a car-crash.
Despite everything, Fergie has remained loyal to her ex-husband.
In an interview with Vogue Arabia, the Duchess said it had been an “incredibly difficult” time for her and the girls.
She said: “When I talk about Prince Andrew, I talk about the family because the last six months have been hard on the girls and me.
“To see such a wonderful man go through such enormous pain. He is the best man I know.
“It’s just incredible what he has done for Britain, and it’s all nonsense, so I talk about familyhood, and I’ve been very strong about it.”
The Duke of York himself has stepped back from royal duties.