The former duchess is understood to be searching for a separate residence

Sarah Ferguson has been described as a “fighter” by an insider following her public downfall towards the end of last year.

Her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was compelled to relinquish his lease on Royal Lodge, the 30-room Windsor mansion where he has resided for over 20 years.

The former Duke of York received orders from King Charles in late October 2025 to vacate the property, bringing an end to what royal insiders termed the “siege of Royal Lodge.”

This protracted dispute between the brothers had lasted months, with Andrew and Sarah believing they could hold their ground by citing the long-term lease agreement.

‘Fighter’ Sarah Ferguson set to follow independent path after Royal Lodge exit

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“[Andrew and Sarah] were relying on [the Royal Family] leaving them at Royal Lodge and fought very hard to stay there,” claimed royal biographer Robert Jobson.

The directive came after King Charles removed Andrew’s remaining royal titles and honours amid continuing scrutiny of his Jeffrey Epstein connections.

Andrew is expected to settle in a private property on the Sandringham estate that has been offered to him.

Sarah, who shared Royal Lodge with her former husband since 2008 despite their 1996 divorce, is now pursuing her own independent path.

The former duke is set to leave Royal Lodge by Easter | REUTERS

The former duchess is searching for a separate residence, potentially in the Windsor area, and is reportedly focusing on reviving her business interests and writing career.

“She’s a fighter,” a source close to Fergie told People.

Mr Jobson, whose book Windsor Legacy was released on January 6, has followed Sarah’s journey on the periphery of royal life for decades and expressed understanding for her situation.

“When she was divorced [from Andrew], her financial settlement was not huge, unlike Princess Diana’s, and she was introduced to this lifestyle and lived it in a way that almost bamboozled her and has been in incredible debt ever since. She never got the payoff she should have got,” he told the publication.

An aerial shot of Royal Lodge – soon to be Andrew and Fergie’s former home

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Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorced in 1996 | GETTY

The couple spent Christmas together at Royal Lodge, while their daughters Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, joined the wider royal family at Sandringham as guests of King Charles.

Mr Jobson suggests this should not be interpreted as a slight against their parents.

“It’s easy to say this is a snub to their parents, but they would say, ‘I’m a royal princess, I’m in line to the throne, I have been invited to attend the King’s Christmas celebrations, and you don’t turn down the King’s invitation,'” he explained. “It’s not an invitation, it’s a command, really.”

Nevertheless, family bonds remain intact. Fergie and Andrew attended the christening of Beatrice’s daughter Athena at St James’s Palace on December 12, though they maintained a low profile and departed without joining the subsequent celebrations.