Sarah Ferguson, who divorced the Duke of York back in 1996 but continues to live with him, once opened up about what Andrew had in his room when he was a young man
Sarah Ferguson once disclosed the peculiar sights that greeted her when she first entered Prince Andrew’s bedroom when he was a young man. It was a romance that would lead to a “fairytale” royal wedding between what Charles dubbed the royal with the “Robert Redford good looks” and the daughter of his own polo manager, Major Ronald Ferguson.
As a former helicopter pilot and Falklands War veteran, Andrew may have possessed “action man appeal” when the former couple began courting. However, it’s now been suggested that this image may have been rather tarnished once Fergie glimpsed the 26-year-old prince’s private quarters.
Andrew’s well-documented obsession with teddy bears was apparently in full view as she walked in. Indeed, the room was “strewn with a gigantic collection,” but the Times reports that’s not the only peculiar thing she witnessed on that memorable day. The revelation has come amid multiple charities dumping the Duchess of York as patron following her leaked email to Jeffrey Epstein.
It reports her as saying: “Andrew’s bedroom and dressing room (was) an absolute time warp. Dozens of stuffed animals blanketed the bed, while pink teddies hugged each other atop a lamp.”
She continued: “Boys’ guns and bachelor bits lay all over… One teddy bear wore a vest with ‘It’s tough being a Prince’.”
Despite the bizarre spectacle, it didn’t prevent Fergie from wedding Andrew in 1986. The couple secured the titles of Duke and Duchess of York and welcomed two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The pair parted ways in 1992 and finalised their divorce four years later in 1996, yet are said to have remained close. Indeed, they still share the £30million Grade II-listed Royal Lodge at Windsor Great Park.
The Duke’s teddy bears hit headlines only last month when reports emerged that he plays a strange game with staff at the 30-room Berkshire mansion that Fergie reportedly takes a “dim view” of.
In 2022, a story emerged concerning the prince’s supposed hoard of 50 to 60 teddy bears. A former Royal protection officer claimed he would “scream and shout” if staff failed to carry out a particular duty involving the plush toys.
Paul Page, an ex-protection officer, alleged in the ITV documentary Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile that he would lose his temper if his staff didn’t position them in a particular manner at Buckingham Palace.
Royal author Ingrid Seward previously claimed that Sarah slept among the toys when the former couple were together, alleging that Fergie was surrounded by “around a dozen teddy bears”.
Yet, according to the Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle, the Duke’s obsession extends even further.
A Palace insider revealed to the Mail: “When he lived at Buck House he’d also hide his toy monkey in unlikely places to test whether cleaning staff would spot it…woe betide them if they didn’t.”
They continued: “Staff at Royal Lodge still have to play Prince Andrew’s game – unless Sarah is resident. She takes a dim view of it.”
