Everything Martha Stewart Has Said About Her Marriage and Divorce From Ex Andrew Stewart

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Martha Stewart and her former husband, Andrew Stewart, experienced their share of challenges before ultimately ending their marriage.

The couple, who met on a blind date, got married in 1961 and welcomed their daughter, Alexis, four years later.

After 26 years of marriage, Martha and Andrew separated in 1987. Following their split, Andrew quickly moved out of their home, and their divorce was finalized three years later. After parting ways with Martha, Andrew married her former assistant, Robyn Fairclough, although that marriage also ended in divorce. He is now married to Shyla Nelson Stewart.

In a 1991 interview with New York magazine, Martha reflected on what she believed went wrong in their relationship.

“It wasn’t staged. Perhaps it was overwhelming for my husband; maybe he couldn’t handle it,” she shared with the magazine regarding their relationship dynamics. “But deep down, I believe he loved it, and I think many people would appreciate it.”

Martha later disclosed in her 2024 Netflix documentary that she had an affair during her marriage but suggested that Andrew likely did not know about her infidelity.

Moving Out

Martha recounted in a 1991 interview with New York magazine that Andrew initially moved to their barn before fully relocating from their home. She mentioned that he left while she was promoting her wedding book, which featured him.

“Can you imagine? It was awful; it was a terrible experience. It was challenging to maintain positive feelings towards him after he did something like that, especially knowing I was promoting a book with his picture in it,” she said. “He hit me where it hurt the most, as if he was getting back at me for something I had done in the past that caused him to treat me badly.”

Being Intimidated by Her Ambition

Martha’s career flourished after her marriage, and she acknowledged that both she and Andrew supported each other during their early years.

“He helped me a lot; I’ll admit that. I also supported him, but he seems to forget that,” she told New York magazine. “I did a lot for him. I believe he grew weary of my ambition and my desire to accomplish many things.”

Navigating Divorce

Martha described her divorce as a “terrible experience” since no one in her family had ever divorced before.

“We were the first in my family to go through a divorce,” she told People in 2020. “The fact that we haven’t spoken since makes it even more painful. However, I’m quite strong and motivated to move forward with my life.”

Knowing When to Leave

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in October 2024, Martha offered advice to those facing difficulties in their marriages.

“I would recommend that anyone unhappy in a marriage get out as quickly as possible,” she advised Us. “Don’t drag it out or remain miserable because it’s unproductive.”

Affair Admission

In the trailer for her 2024 documentary titled Martha, the entrepreneur admitted to cheating on Andrew.

“I was labeled as crazy, but it worked. Young women listened to my advice. If you’re married and your husband starts cheating, he’s a piece of s—. Leave that marriage,” she stated, before producers interjected to inquire if she had an affair during her marriage. “Yes, but I don’t think Andy ever found out about it.”

Choosing Herself

In the Netflix documentary trailer, Martha revealed that she had to choose between prioritizing her marriage or her career. She acknowledged that she never envisioned herself living “the cookie-cutter life” of a housewife.

“I had two guiding principles: Learn something new every day, and when you stop changing, you stop living,” she reflected. “I could have settled for a miserable existence as a washed-up housewife, but I refused to let that happen — and I’m so glad I didn’t.”