Aliba Bellingham has rejected claims that she is romantically involved with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after her name was mentioned as the former prince’s new partner.
She clarified that their relationship is based only on a long-standing acquaintance and the interests they share.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, has returned to the attention of the British media amid speculation about a new relationship. The reports emerged nine months after he moved to the Sandringham estate following his departure from Royal Lodge.
Bellingham, who is well known in English aristocratic and social circles, is passionate about horse riding and is the sister of former Conservative MP Henry Bellingham.
According to HELLO! magazine, she has also had an early connection with the royal family. Her godmother was Frances Saint Kidd, the mother of Princess Diana. Aliba has known Andrew since childhood, as their families have been close over the years.
Photographs of her during visits to Marsh Farm, the former prince’s residence in Norfolk, fueled speculation about a romance. But in a statement to the Mail on Sunday, Bellingham said their meetings are rare and involve conversations about shared interests.
“We meet here and there and talk about horses and dogs, as these are our shared interests. We get on well with each other. He is very fond of his horses,” she said.
Bellingham also stated that she does not judge Andrew for his past and believes Norfolk is a suitable place for him, where he can live away from public attention.
She said the rumors began after an American journalist learned about a tea she had had with Andrew and interpreted it as a sign of a relationship.
“I am not his partner; we are simply acquaintances. I think the rumors started when an American journalist learned that I had gone for tea with him and then concluded that two and two make five,” she said.
Henry Bellingham confirmed that his family has had close ties with the royal family since they were children. He recalled that, because of their proximity to Sandringham, he and his sister played with Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne.
“Andrew was a friend of my family when we were children. In a way, my sister has known him all her life,” he said.
Meanwhile, although Andrew and Sarah Ferguson no longer live in the same residence, they continue to communicate and maintain their relationship as parents and grandparents. A representative for the former Duchess of York told HELLO! that the two speak regularly and remain united in their relationship with the family.
During the summer, the former couple became grandparents for the fifth time following the birth of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s third child on 3 August in Lisbon.
Andrew and Sarah’s public appearances have declined significantly since the former prince’s departure from Royal Lodge and the removal of his titles, following strong reactions over their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes.
Sarah Ferguson made her first public appearance in several months at the end of October, when she attended a memorial service in London for her former partner, Paddy McNally. She was accompanied by her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, as well as their husbands.
