Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson
Pictured: Prince Andrew, Ferguson attend the Virgin London Marathon on April 25, 2010 in London, England. on April 25, 2010 in London, England. Getty Images/Gareth Cattermole

There have been reports that they are actually friend with benefits, but royal fans hoping for an official reunion between Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson may not get their wish. However, a new claim states that Prince Charles could be the reason for the former couple staying apart.

According to royal commentator Dan Wootton, Prince Charles has a strong opposition to his former sister-in-law, and during an appearance on ITV’s “Lorraine,” Wootton even referred to the future king as a “fly in the ointment” when it came to his brother’s relationship with the Duchess.

“The Queen has always loved Fergie, invited her to spend some time with her at Balmoral over the summer for the past three years. But there is a fly in the ointment, and it’s Prince Charles, which is a bit of a problem given he is the future King,” he said. “[He] hasn’t had the strong relationship with Prince Andrew for many years and quite opposed to Fergie because of the fact that Fergie took Princess Diana’s side over Camilla, when all of that was kicking off.”

However, while he may be standing in the way of an official reconciliation between the Duke and Duchess of York, the pair, who officially divorced in 1996 after separating in 1992, does reportedly have a strong relationship with one another, but sources from the Palace have denied that they are a couple once again.

“The Duke and Duchess of York continue to be good friends and nothing has changed in their relationship,” a senior Palace source told Mirror Online. “While Duke and Duchess are not officially back together, it is fair to say their relationship is incredibly strong. The two of them are not involved in relationships with anyone else, which of course likely to fuel rumors of an unlikely reunion.”

“They very much enjoy each other’s company and their public displays of affection for one another are becoming more frequent,” the source continued. “With one daughter happily married and the other in a serious relationship that could well end in marriage, maybe the focus will shift back to them. But for now, they are enjoying spending time together and as a family.”

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