Martha Stewart married her first (and only) husband, Andrew Stewart, in 1961. The couple were together for several years before separating in 1987 and officially filing for divorce in 1990. While married, they welcomed their daughter in 1965 Alexis Stewart.
In a 1995 interview with PEOPLE, Martha’s mother, Martha Kostyra, said the acrimonious divorce had left her daughter “badly wounded.” She said, “I don’t think he’ll ever get over it.”
Although the experience was difficult, Martha told PEOPLE 2020 that she is motivated to move on. – Divorce was a terrible thing for me, because we were the first to divorce in my family – said Martha. “And the fact that we haven’t spoken since the divorce is even more painful. But I’m very strong and I’m very motivated to get on with life.”
She added: “I survived the hardships of time, marriage, having children, building a business from scratch. I survived very well and I think I’m making the most of it.”
After her split from Andrew, Martha dated actor Anthony Hopkins, among others, although she revealed in 2022 that she “broke up with him because I couldn’t stop thinking of him as Hannibal Lecter”.
So who is Martha Stewart’s ex-husband? Here’s everything you need to know about Andrew Stewart.
He studied law and works in publishing
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When Andrew met Martha, he was a 23-year-old law student at Yale. Before receiving his law degree from Yale, Andrew graduated from the University of Virginia, Per The The New York Times. He also holds a master’s degree in law from Columbia University.
Andrew pursued a career in publishing and is currently Publisher Emeritus of Fieldstone Publishing, a nature publishing company.
He met Marta on a blind date
The former couple met when they were set up on a blind date. Martha told PEOPLE that she was attracted to him because he was “extremely serious.” After a year of dating, they got married in 1961.
He and Martha enjoyed renovating houses
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During their relationship, Martha and Andrew enjoyed renovating old homes. PEOPLE reported in 1995 that early in their marriage, the former couple spent weekends “renovating a school house in the Berkshires.”
According to a CNN interview, Andrew and Martha delved into home renovations when Andrew bought the upper lot in Westport, Connecticut in 1971. The couple named the property Turkey Hill Farm, where Martha began her life’s empire.
He shares one daughter, Alexis, with Marta
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Martha and Andrew welcomed their only child together, daughter Alexis, on September 27, 1965.
During an interview with PEOPLE in 1995, Andrew said he regretted how he and Martha had parented their daughter, saying, “I think we did a bad job as parents.”
Andrew continued: “We were too involved in our professional lives and fixing up the house. We always turned home into a mythological place. But it wasn’t home – we didn’t spend enough time with Lexi.”
He also called his estrangement from his daughter “a source of immense pain.” He added: “I think about her every day, many times.”
He and Martha separated in 1987
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After more than 25 years of marriage, Martha and Andrew separated in 1987. At that time, he moved out of their home and allegedly obtained a court order barring Martha from speaking with him. Their divorce was finalized in 1990.
“The life I had is over,” Martha later told PEOPLE of their split. “And what took its place is better.”
He married Martha’s assistant after their divorce in 1990
After their separation in 1987 and divorce three years later, Andrew married Robyn Fairclough in May 1993. Fairclough was Martha’s former assistant and 21 years Andrew’s junior.
However, Andrew and Fairclough eventually divorced.
He is currently married to Shyla Nelson Stewart and has 5 children
Andrew married his current wife Shyla Nelson Stewart in 2016 (according to Shyla’s Facebook). Shyla is the president and CEO of Fieldstone Publishing, as well as a “writer, environmentalist and artist.”
Andrew’s Fieldstone bio states that he and Shyla live between Pasadena, California and Lake Champlain, Vermont. The couple also has five children and three grandchildren. Their youngest grandchild was born in November 2023.
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Source: HIS Education