Prince Andrew's legal troubles seem to be catching up with him, yet he and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson seem closer than they've ever been. Soon after news broke that the Duke of York had been served in the lawsuit Virginia Giuffre filed against him, news that Andrew's mind was more focused on love began emerging.
The lawsuit accuses the 61-year-old prince of sexually assaulting Giuffre when she was a teen. The lawsuit is a civil suit as Giuffre, an alleged Jeffrey Epstein victim, continues to explore her legal options. The papers were served to the Metropolitan Police security detail at the main gates of Andrew's home, the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
A pretrial conference on September 13 will determine whether the Duke of York was properly served. The deeply disturbing allegations against Andrew continue to plague him, leading him to step back from public life. By his side through it all has been Sarah Ferguson, whom sources believe could end up a royal spouse once again.
The timing of the news is certainly unusual. For one, Andrew and Sarah have shared a close relationship for some years. She's lived with him at Royal Lodge, and they've made appearances together. Why would they decide to remarry now? According to royal sources, the death of Prince Philip opened up the possibility once again.
"Sarah and Andrew have been closer than ever in the past year," a source told Vanity Fair.
"They still love and care for each other a great deal and have been living together during the pandemic. It has rekindled something and I can see a second wedding happening if it all goes Andrew's way."
Sarah has spoken out about her love for her ex many times. "When you make that commitment, you decide to marry a prince. And I fell in love with him. He was a sailor, he is still. He was a helicopter pilot and was also a prince," she said of their 1986 wedding in an interview with Polsat News.
"I kept my commitment, no matter what."
"People said: you got divorced. They don't know how I feel," she continued.
"Divorce is one thing, but my heart is my oath, my obligation."
Both Sarah and Andrew have also spent time with the Queen, especially as these legal troubles have arrived. This suggests the monarch might welcome Sarah back into the fold. Sources also suggest she may be open to him returning to royal life despite the uncertainty these legal proceedings bring.
"It is clear he (Andrew) has a clear and burning desire to return to work as soon as possible," a source told the Mirror.
"That may look entirely impossible but if anything he's become emboldened in recent weeks and remains utterly convinced he will not only be exonerated but will certainly forge a way back to public life," the source continued.
"Certainly he has given the incredibly bullish impression that this will all blow over within a short while, rather than become a protracted issue."
Sources believe that the Queen would be happy to see the two remarry. "It could very well happen, but right now the priority is Sarah supporting Andrew at a very difficult time," another source tells Vanity Fair.
They emphasize that if it does happen, it would be low profile so as to avoid criticism.
That criticism largely stems from why many people think now is the time Andrew is considering remarrying Sarah. Spousal immunity laws in the UK are similar to here in the United States, meaning that regardless of where he faces legal trouble, Sarah could not be made to testify against him.
While Prince Philip certainly made no secret of his dislike for Sarah, the months between his death and the lawsuit could have been plenty of time for this story to go public. The current timing is leaving a sour taste in the mouths of many.
