A relationship with an American businessman is said to have been the primary cause for the marital breakdown between the Duchess of York and her then-husband, according to a royal commentator. The source indicated that the duchess developed intense feelings for the businessman, which critically destabilized the union.
The couple, who married in the mid-1980s and share two daughters, reportedly faced significant periods of separation due to the husband’s naval career. This physical distance is believed to have contributed to the duchess’s loneliness, leading to the subsequent connection.
The relationship with the businessman reportedly began after a meeting at a social event in the United States. It is claimed the duchess considered him a great romantic figure in her life. The marriage grew increasingly strained after the husband discovered the affair, with accounts describing public displays of tension between the pair.
The extramarital relationship did not last, and the businessman later became engaged to another woman. Reports also suggest the husband had his own alleged infidelities during the marriage, with claims he was unfaithful early in the relationship.
The couple formally separated in the early 1990s and divorced several years later. Despite the legal dissolution of their marriage, they continued to reside together for an extended period to raise their children. This living arrangement has since ended following recent developments concerning the husband’s status and associations.