Queen Elizabeth was 'Disappointed' When Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Wanted Divorce — Fergie's Meltdown Sparked Royal Crisis Meeting
Ex-Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson'd marriage unraveled after scandalous photos and a reported meltdown sparked an urgent royal family summit.
Jan. 24 2026, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
When Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson first approached Queen Elizabeth about separating, the monarch was reportedly "disappointed," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, the late monarch had advised the couple to "wait six months before making a decision."
'Mentally Unstable'
Queen Elizabeth faced disappointment as Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's marriage moved toward divorce.
The breakdown of their marriage accelerated after scandalous photos of Ferguson with Texan oil tycoon Steve Wyatt were leaked.
Horrified by the images, the Queen ordered Ferguson to sever all contact with Wyatt immediately.
Fergie reportedly ignored the royal warning, prompting an urgent family summit at Sandringham on January 26, 1992, according to a news outlet.
Fergie herself, according to her friend Madame Vasso, believed "it was all part of a plot to try to take the children away from her and [she] believed there were people who wanted to discredit her, to make out that she was mentally unstable and incapable of bringing up the girls."
A Royal Meltdown
Andrew and Ferguson's relationship unraveled amid growing royal concern.
The former Duchess's meltdown reached new heights on a flight to the UK.
Lownie described how, after hearing about the leaked photos, Ferguson "threw a wet flannel at her father's new partner, Lesley Player (who she had made a lady-in-waiting to help facilitate the affair), who was sitting across the aisle."
Towels and tissues were "whizzing around the cabin," she proceeded to throw "peanuts, followed by sachets of sugar and bread rolls," and even "cut eyeholes in an airsick bag and wore it on her head while making telephone noises."
'Final Straw'
Scandalous photos intensified scrutiny on Ferguson during the breakdown of her marriage.
The leaked Moroccan holiday images, Lownie wrote, were "the final straw for the Royal Family."
The Queen acted swiftly, but Ferguson's defiance led to the Sandringham summit, where senior royals, including Prince Philip, King Charles, Princess Diana, Ex-Prince Andrew and the Queen Mother, gathered.
Lownie added, "Neither Philip nor Charles - never a fan of his younger brother - were sympathetic, the latter because, having initially been supportive of Sarah, he felt she was a bad influence on Diana."
'Mental Breakdown'
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Senior royals gathered for urgent talks as Andrew and Ferguson's split escalated.
The summit focused on the failing marriage and the custody of Beatrice and Eugenie.
Lownie noted that the "assumption" was that Ferguson was "having a mental breakdown" and highlighted her fears that the family might take the children away.
Just three days after the family meeting, Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson returned to Sandringham to inform the Queen that their marriage was over.
On March 19, 1992, they publicly announced their separation.
