Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson continue to live together at the Royal Lodge despite being divorced- a situation that has raised eyebrows for years.
The former couple have often described themselves as the 'happiest divorced couple,' but their unusual living arrangement has often made royal fans uncomfortable. Even King Charles is reportedly unhappy with the setup and is keen to remove his brother from the royal residence.
According to a new and explosive biography titled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks by Andrew Lownie, there are some shocking revelations about the former couple's reluctance to vacate the Royal Lodge.
In his book, Lownie claims one of the major reasons they still live together is Andrew's reliance on Sarah for 'stability.'
He writes: 'Andrew, at first after the separation and divorce, remained half in love with her, relishing his freedom to enjoy a series of casual sexual flings while still retaining the security of apparent married life.'
A friend of the Yorks is quoted in the book saying: 'He's a charmer but most of the romances fizzle out, and that's why he kept the stability of being close to Sarah. He has the family side and playboy and he's been able to balance the two for decades.'
In the past, Andrew and Fergie have claimed that their decision to cohabitate was based on their daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, who were young at the time of split.
However, Lownie also notes another motivation behind their arrangement: Sarah's desire to remain close to the Royal Family.
The biographer said: 'She of course, gets all the benefits and status of being still connected to the Royal Family. She can live at Royal Lodge for free, and all the benefits of cooks and staff, and it gives her status, which is very important to her, by means of earning a living.'
