Inside Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's lavish wedding 39 years on after whirlwind romance
The pair married in July 1986 at an iconic royal wedding venueToday marks 39 years since the wedding of Prince Andrew and his now ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Despite their split just six years later in 1992, the pair remained close, co-parenting their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and now being doting grandparents to their four grandchildren. The pair even still live together.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and see how their big day compared to the many royal weddings that have happened since…
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s whirlwind romance
The couple had met as children and reunited at a party in 1985, where a whirlwind romance began. Princess Diana, Andrew’s sister-in-law at the time, reportedly played wingwoman to Sarah, aka Fergie, after striking up a friendship with her.
Less than a year later, Andrew proposed with an impressive 18-carat gold ring, with a Burma ruby and 10 drop-diamonds, designed from sketches he’d made himself.
Andrew had a star-studded bachelor party attended by celebrities such as Billy Connolly and Elton John. It was held at Aubrey House in Holland Park, London.
Where did Prince Andrew and Fergie marry?
Prince Andrew and Fergie said “I do” at the traditional royal venue of Westminster Abbey, in London, on July 23, 1986. Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip here. Since then, Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot there in April 2011.
Prince Andrew was dressed in his naval lieutenant uniform, and Sarah wore a wedding dress of ivory-silk, designed by Lindka Cierach. It featured a 17-foot train and 20-foot veil. She also wore her own “York tiara”, purchased especially for her by Queen Elizabeth II.
In her own words, Sarah said she “lost 26 pounds to fit into” the gown.
Our wedding was the best day of my life. But I gave up my anonymity that day.
As the couple exchanged vows, Sarah mistakenly repeated Andrew’s middle name, Christian. Five years before her, Princess Diana had also made a similar mistake, muddling up the order of Prince Charles’ names.
In her vows, unlike Diana, Sarah chose to say the word “obey”. She vowed “to love, cherish and to obey” her husband.
After the ceremony, the couple travelled by carriage to Buckingham Palace.
Like with many other royal weddings, Sarah and Andrew shared their first kiss as husband and wife on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Thousands of members of the public gathered outside the palace erupted into cheers over the newlyweds.
After the balcony appearance, the couple joined their 120 guests for a traditional wedding breakfast, and then moved on to a bigger party at Claridge’s hotel.
Who attended the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson?
It was definitely a family affair, with Prince Edward acting as Andrew’s best man and the now King Charles reading a lesson during the service. Zara Phillips (now Tindall) was a bridesmaid while her brother Peter Phillips and Prince William were both page boys.
Many members of foreign royal families were in attendance, as well as US First Lady at the time Nancy Reagan, who was accompanied by 20 Secret Service agents.
Meanwhile, royals in attendance also included Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Princess Diana, and The Queen Mother. Prince Harry, Princess Anne, and Princess Margaret were also there.
A cake fit for royalty
The couple spoilt their guests with a whopping 5 foot 6 tall (almost as tall as Fergie herself), 240-pound “marzipan and rum-soaked” wedding cake.
They even had an identical back-up cake, in case the first one got damaged. It was enough for 2,000 slices – some of these were given away and are now considered collectables.
How many people watched Andrew and Sarah’s wedding day?
The wedding caused a media frenzy and was widely televised, worldwide, in various different languages. The BBC reported that 500 million viewers tuned in to watch it.
A further 100,000 gathered to watch the couple’s first public kiss as husband and wife on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Street parties were held up and down the country to celebrate the occasion.
Andrew and Sarah’s titles and honeymoon
On their wedding day, Prince Andrew became the Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleag. This meant that Sarah became the Duchess of York, Countess of Inverness and Baroness Killyleagh.
For their honeymoon, the newlyweds travelled to Heathrow Airport in an open carriage. They travelled by royal jet to the Azores Islands. The couple spent five days aboard the royal yacht Britannia in the Atlantic.
What did Sarah say about her wedding day?
Sarah previously opened up in an interview about her wedding being “the best day of my life”.
She told The Times: “I was totally and utterly in love with Andrew. He’s the best, a great man with a great heart, and kind.
“Our wedding was the best day of my life. But I gave up my anonymity that day. I was able to because love conquers all. It’s still with us today.”
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