Twenty years. It is a long time to go without saying a single word to someone who was once your entire world. But for Martha Stewart and husband Andrew Stewart, the silence has been even longer than that. Most people think of Martha as the ultimate domestic goddess, a woman who can whip up a perfect soufflé and fold a fitted sheet like it’s an Olympic sport. Yet, the story of her marriage is anything but tidy. Honestly, it’s messy. It is full of betrayal, intense ambition, and a level of post-divorce coldness that would make a New England winter look tropical.
The Blind Date That Started It All
Martha Kostyra was only 19 when she met Andrew "Andy" Stewart. She was a model at Barnard College; he was a serious Yale Law student. They were set up on a blind date in 1960. It wasn't exactly a slow burn. Martha has said she fell "madly in love" by the end of their first dinner.
By July 1961, they were married.
They were a power couple before the term was even a thing. He moved into publishing; she eventually became a stockbroker. Together, they bought a 19th-century farmhouse in Westport, Connecticut, known as Turkey Hill. This wasn't just a home. It was the laboratory where the "Martha Stewart" brand was born. They spent weekends tearing down wallpaper and sanding floors.
But while the house was getting a facelift, the marriage was cracking.
What Really Happened with Martha Stewart and Husband Andy?
Success is a double-edged sword. As Martha’s career as a caterer and then a lifestyle mogul took off, the dynamic in their home shifted. In her 2024 Netflix documentary, Martha, she didn't hold back on the grit. The image of the perfect hostess was, in reality, a woman dealing with a crumbling union.
One of the biggest bombshells to come out recently? The infidelity wasn't one-sided.
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Martha admitted to having a "very brief affair" with an attractive Irish man while she was a stockbroker. She even confessed to kissing a stranger in a cathedral in Florence during her own honeymoon. She called it "emotional," but Andy’s side of the story is different. He reportedly told producers he didn't stray until after he found out she had.
Then things got truly ugly.
The Assistant and the Barn
If you want to know what finally broke them, you have to look at the "snack." That’s the word Martha used to describe her former assistant, Robyn Fairclough.
Robyn worked for Martha and needed a place to stay. Martha, in a move she clearly regrets now, invited her to live in a small apartment in a barn on their property. While Martha was away traveling for her growing empire, Andy and Robyn began an affair.
"It was like I put out a snack for Andy," Martha said.
She kicked the assistant out. She confronted the husband. But the damage was done. In 1987, Andy moved out. He didn't just leave; he reportedly got a court order to keep Martha from contacting him. Imagine that. You build a multi-million dollar business and a famous home together, and then you’re legally barred from speaking to the person you did it with.
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The Brutal Aftermath of 1990
The divorce was finalized in 1990. It was a "terrible thing" for Martha. She was the first in her family to get divorced. She felt like a "castaway," despite being at the height of her beauty and fame.
Andy didn't wait long to move on. In 1993, he married Robyn Fairclough—the very woman he’d had the affair with. That marriage didn't last either, but the sting for Martha was permanent.
Today, Andrew Stewart is married to his third wife, Shyla Nelson Stewart. They live a quiet life between Vermont and California. Shyla hasn't been shy about her feelings, once describing Andy’s marriage to Martha as "abusive" and "dark." It’s a classic "he-said, she-said" that has spanned nearly forty years.
The Impact on Alexis Stewart
In the middle of this domestic war was their daughter, Alexis, born in 1965. Alexis has been brutally honest about her upbringing. In her book Whateverland, she painted a picture of a childhood that was far from a Hallmark movie.
- She had to wrap her own Christmas presents.
- She described Martha’s parenting as "hands-off."
- Holidays like Halloween were "grim affairs" with the lights turned off.
The divorce fractured her relationship with her father too. Andy admitted in the 90s that he was "too involved" in work and home renovations. He felt he did a "poor job" as a parent. He and Alexis were estranged for a long time, though the current state of their relationship is more private.
Why Martha Never Remarried
Since 1990, Martha Stewart has been the world's most famous bachelorette. It’s not that she hasn't dated. She had a long, 15-year relationship with billionaire Charles Simonyi. She even dated Anthony Hopkins—though she dumped him because she couldn't stop seeing him as Hannibal Lecter.
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But she never walked down the aisle again. Why?
Basically, she’s picky. And she’s busy. She’s 84 now and still says "idle men" don't interest her. She wants someone who is doing something. In 2025, she told Jenna Bush Hager that "lots of people" slide into her DMs, but she hasn't found anyone special.
She seems content. She has her grandkids, her farm, and a friendship with Snoop Dogg that remains the most wholesome thing on the internet.
Lessons from the Stewart Saga
Looking back at the history of Martha Stewart and husband Andy, there are some pretty clear takeaways for anyone trying to balance a massive career and a marriage.
- Work-Life Balance Isn't a Cliche: Both Martha and Andy admit they were obsessed with "fixing up the house" and building the brand. The marriage became a project rather than a relationship.
- Infidelity is Rarely the Only Problem: The cheating was a symptom of a much deeper disconnect. When communication stops—or becomes a court order—the end is inevitable.
- Ambition has a Price: Martha's drive changed the world, but it also made her "intolerant" of her husband’s eccentricities, at least according to him.
The most shocking part is still that 20-year silence. They share a daughter and grandchildren, yet they live in totally different universes. It’s a reminder that even the person who knows how to remove any stain can’t always clean up the mess of a broken heart.
If you're dealing with a difficult split or trying to navigate a high-pressure relationship, Martha’s story shows that while you can't always save the marriage, you can definitely survive the fallout. You just might have to do it with a lot of ambition and a very good lawyer.
Actionable Insights:
- Prioritize communication early: If you find yourself "fixing the house" more than talking to your partner, it's time to pause.
- Keep work out of the bedroom: Martha’s business was born at Turkey Hill, making it impossible to separate her private life from her public empire.
- The "Best Revenge" is living well: Martha’s career exploded after her divorce. She didn't let the "castaway" feeling stop her from becoming a billionaire.
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