Martha Stewart’s marriage to Andrew Stewart began in 1961, and they spent several years together before their separation in 1987, which was finalized with a divorce in 1990. During their time as a couple, they had a daughter, Alexis Stewart, born in 1965.
Martha’s mother, Martha Kostyra, reflected on the difficult divorce in a 1995 interview with PEOPLE, revealing that it left her daughter deeply hurt, stating, “I don’t think she’ll ever get over it.”
Martha Stewart’s Former Husband, Andrew Stewart
Although the divorce was a painful chapter in her life, Martha spoke about her resilience in a 2020 PEOPLE interview. “It was a terrible experience for me, as I was the first in my family to go through it,” she admitted. “The fact that we haven’t spoken since only adds to the pain. But I’m strong, and I’m determined to move forward with my life.”
She also shared, “I’ve managed to survive the challenges of marriage, motherhood, and building a business from scratch. I’ve come through it all quite well, and I try to make the most of it.”
After her divorce, Martha dated several people, including actor Anthony Hopkins. In 2022, she revealed that she ended the relationship with Hopkins because she couldn’t stop associating him with his role as Hannibal Lecter.
As for Andrew Stewart, he had a distinguished career after their separation. He earned his law degree from Yale, having previously attended the University of Virginia and Columbia University for his master’s in law.
His professional life led him to publishing, where he currently holds the title of Publisher Emeritus at Fieldstone Publishing, a company focused on nature topics.
Andrew and Martha were introduced through a blind date set up by friends. Martha was drawn to his serious demeanor, and after a year of dating, they married in 1961.
Together, they enjoyed renovating homes, including a schoolhouse in the Berkshires and a fixer-upper property in Westport, Connecticut, called Turkey Hill Farm. This project played a remarkable role in the development of Martha’s lifestyle empire.
Martha and Andrew’s only child, Alexis, was born on September 27, 1965. In a 1995 PEOPLE interview, Andrew expressed regret about their parenting, acknowledging that their focus on professional and home renovation projects took time away from their family life. “We didn’t spend enough time with Lexi,” he admitted, referring to their daughter.
In 1987, after over two decades of marriage, Martha and Andrew separated, with Andrew moving out and securing a court order barring communication. Their divorce was finalized in 1990, and Martha later stated, “The life I had is over, and what has replaced it is better.”
It wasn’t until the October 2024 trailer for her Netflix documentary Martha was released that Martha confessed to having cheated on Andrew during their marriage.
In one scene, she mentions advising young women to leave if their partner cheats, but when asked about her own infidelity, she admits, “Yeah, but I don’t think Andy ever knew about that.”
At the premiere of her documentary, Martha revealed that she hadn’t spoken to Andrew in over 20 years. “I haven’t talked to him for over 20 years, sadly,” she said, uncertain whether Andrew had seen the documentary.
After their divorce, Andrew remarried in 1993 to Robyn Fairclough, Martha’s former assistant who was 21 years his junior. However, their marriage eventually ended in divorce. In 2016, Andrew married Shyla Nelson Stewart, who serves as president and CEO of Fieldstone Publishing.
Together, they live between Pasadena, California, and Lake Champlain in Vermont. They have five children and three grandchildren, the youngest of whom was born in November 2023.
Shyla came to Andrew’s defense after the release of the Martha trailer, where Martha referred to Andrew in harsh terms. On Facebook, Shyla described him as “one of the gentlest, most soft-spoken, kind-hearted men I’ve ever known” and mentioned the painful and abusive nature of his previous marriage. She also expressed her hope that everyone, including Martha, experiences the peace of being deeply loved.
