How Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s marriage was destroyed by one painful truth

They may be one of the most amicable ex-couples in royal history, but the marriage between Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was far from a fairy tale, and now, the real reason behind their split has come back into focus.

The Duke and Duchess of York tied the knot in a grand royal wedding on July 23, 1986. But behind the palace walls, their relationship was crumbling under pressure.

In a 2010 interview with US host Ernie Manouse, Sarah revealed the true reason their marriage didn’t survive: “I was marrying my man, who happened to be a prince and a naval officer. But what I got was not the man, I got the palace. And I didn’t get him.”

Due to Prince Andrew’s naval career, which included serving in the Falklands War and commanding HMS Cottesmore, the couple reportedly spent just 40 days together per year during their marriage.

Despite their split in 1992 and divorce in 1996, the two remain unusually close, co-parenting Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and still sharing a residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

In fact, Fergie has called their wedding day “the best day of my life” and continues to praise Andrew as “a great man.”

RELATED: Prince Andrew allegedly invited to honour Jeffrey Epstein in secret album