5 Shocking Secrets Of Martha Stewart And Andrew Stewart’s 'Painful And Abusive' Marriage And Divorce

The 29-year marriage between lifestyle icon Martha Stewart and her first and only husband, Andrew Stewart, remains one of the most intensely scrutinized and private relationships in modern business history. While Martha built an empire on the image of domestic perfection, the reality of her marriage to the Yale Law graduate was far from idyllic, culminating in an acrimonious split that included claims of infidelity and abuse. As of December 11, 2025, the couple remains estranged, with Martha recently confessing she has not spoken to her ex-husband in decades, while Andrew has found new love and a quiet life away from the spotlight.

The details of their separation, which began in 1987, provide a rare, unvarnished look at the personal cost of Martha's relentless pursuit of professional success. The story involves a shocking affair, a former assistant, and a public fallout that Martha herself described as the end of the life she once knew.

Andrew Stewart: Biography and Profile

Andrew "Andy" Stewart is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and publisher, best known as the ex-husband of Martha Stewart and the father of their only child, Alexis Stewart. His career and personal life have been marked by notable achievements and controversial turns.

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• Full Name: Andrew Stewart (often referred to as Andy Stewart)
• Born: 1939
• Age (as of 2025): 86
• Nationality: American
• Education: Attended Yale Law School (where he met Martha Kostyra, now Martha Stewart)
• Primary Career: Publisher and Entrepreneur. He has worked in the publishing industry for decades.
• First Wife: Martha Kostyra (Martha Stewart). Married: 1961, Separated: 1987, Divorced: 1990.
• Second Wife: Robyn Fairclough. Married: 1993. Robyn was Martha's former assistant. They later divorced.
• Third/Current Wife: Shyla Nelson Stewart. Married: 2016. Shyla is a publishing executive and peace activist.
• Child: Alexis Gilbert Stewart (Daughter, born 1965).
• Current Residence: Reportedly splits time between Lake Champlain, Vermont, and Pasadena, California.

The Yale Law Meeting to the 29-Year Vow: A Rocky Start

Martha Kostyra met Andrew Stewart while she was a student at Barnard College and he was studying at Yale Law School. Their connection was immediate, and they married in 1961, a time when Martha was also juggling a successful career as a fashion model. The early years of their marriage were characterized by a joint pursuit of success, which included Martha becoming a stockbroker on Wall Street before pivoting to her legendary catering business.

The couple welcomed their only daughter, Alexis Stewart, in 1965. As Martha's catering and publishing career began to explode—culminating in the launch of *Martha Stewart Living*—the professional success seemed to mask deep-seated personal issues within the marriage. Their home life, particularly at their Katonah, New York, property, was the backdrop for a relationship that Andrew would later describe in stark terms.

The pressure of Martha's burgeoning empire, coupled with the long hours and high-stakes environment of the business world, created an undeniable strain. This environment eventually led to what both parties would later acknowledge as a period of mutual infidelity, further eroding the foundation of their decades-long union.

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5 Shocking Secrets and Controversies of the Stewart Divorce

The separation of Martha and Andrew Stewart in 1987, followed by their divorce in 1990, was not a quiet affair. Though Martha rarely speaks about it, the details that have emerged over the years paint a picture of a deeply troubled marriage and an explosive fallout.

1. Andrew Called the Marriage "Painful and Abusive"

Perhaps the most controversial detail to emerge was Andrew Stewart's own description of his life with Martha. In a public statement, Andrew characterized their marriage as "painful and abusive." This was a shocking revelation that completely shattered the public image of domestic bliss that Martha’s brand represented. While Martha has never directly addressed this specific claim, she did admit that the marriage had become untenable.

2. The Affair With Martha’s Assistant, Robyn Fairclough

The catalyst for the separation was reportedly Andrew’s affair with Robyn Fairclough, who was Martha's former assistant. This twist of events—a husband leaving his powerhouse wife for a much younger former employee—drew intense media attention. Andrew and Robyn Fairclough married in 1993, just three years after his divorce from Martha was finalized. This relationship, however, was also short-lived, ending in divorce.

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3. Martha Admitted to Mutual Infidelity

In a rare moment of candor, Martha Stewart admitted during a television appearance that both she and Andrew had been unfaithful during the latter years of their marriage. While Andrew’s relationship with Robyn Fairclough was widely publicized, Martha's acknowledgment confirmed that the marital breakdown was complex and involved transgressions from both sides. This admission provided context to the split, moving the narrative beyond simply Andrew's departure.

4. The Divorce Signaled the End of Martha's "Old Life"

Martha’s personal reaction to the finalization of the divorce in 1990 was profound. She famously told *PEOPLE* magazine that "The life that I had is over." This quote underscored the immense personal and professional upheaval the divorce caused. It forced her to redefine her identity not just as a wife and mother, but as the sole face of her rapidly expanding media empire. This personal crisis ultimately fueled her professional focus, leading to the massive success of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

5. Decades of Silence: They Haven't Spoken Since the Split

Despite sharing a daughter, Alexis Stewart, and grandchildren, Martha has publicly stated that she has not spoken to Andrew in decades. This complete severance of communication highlights the depth of the animosity and pain from the divorce. The former power couple, once united by their ambition and their home in Katonah, New York, now live entirely separate lives, with no contact between them.

Andrew Stewart’s Life Today: A Quiet New Chapter

While Martha Stewart has continued to dominate headlines with her business ventures, television appearances, and recent modeling career, Andrew Stewart has retreated to a quieter, more private existence. His life today is centered on his third wife, Shyla Nelson Stewart, whom he married in 2016.

Shyla Nelson Stewart is a publishing executive and a prominent peace activist, known for her work with the organization Seraphim. The couple reportedly splits their time between a serene life near Lake Champlain in Vermont and a base in Pasadena, California.

The couple recently broke their silence to address Andrew's past, with Shyla stating that she and Andrew have "built a life of beauty, meaning, and purpose," implicitly contrasting it with the tumultuous nature of his first marriage. This statement confirms that Andrew has successfully moved past the drama of the 1990s and is now focused on his current, peaceful life with his wife, far removed from the scrutiny of the New York media. The marriage between Martha and Andrew Stewart remains a pivotal, yet painful, chapter that ultimately shaped two very different paths for two highly successful individuals.