Who is Andrew Stewart? All About Martha Stewart's Ex-Husband

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Martha Stewart and Andy Stewart in 1980

Martha Stewart's ex-husband wants as little to do as possible with the world's most famous (and notorious) homemaker.

According to PEOPLE, after Martha and Andrew "Andy" Stewart's split, he obtained a court order prohibiting her from communicating with him at all (save for their respective attorneys).

"I'm still extremely envious of my friends who have a lovely married life," she told PEOPLE in 1995.

While she was reportedly devastated at her marriage ending, she kept her chin up publicly, knowing that living well is truly a good thing—and the best revenge.

"The life that I had is over," she said at the time. "And what has taken its place is better."

Get to know the husband that the mogul left behind.

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Who is Martha Stewart's ex-husband?

Martha Stewart and Andy Stewart in 1980<p>Arthur Schatz/Getty Images</p>
Martha Stewart and Andy Stewart in 1980

Arthur Schatz/Getty Images

Stewart's ex-husband is Andrew "Andy" Stewart. They met on a blind date when Andrew was a Yale law student, and they married in 1961 after dating for a year.

Andrew worked in publishing and he and Martha restored old homes, including the Connecticut fixer-upper that eventually became her famous Turkey Hill Farm.

They welcomed their daughter, Alexis, in 1965.

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When and why did Martha Stewart get divorced?

Andrew and Martha separated in 1987 and divorced in 1990, with Andrew reportedly initiating the breakup.

Martha's former business partner, Norma Collier, told PEOPLE that Martha was often critical of Andrew during their marriage. Andrew himself said in 1980, "Martha is not tolerant of my negligence or my foolishness or my eccentricities."

Martha's brother said that Snoop Dogg's future BFF "took it very hard" when Andrew filed for divorce, something that Martha herself admitted later.

"Getting divorced was a terrible thing for me, because we were the first to divorce in my family," Martha told PEOPLE in 2020. "And 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."

Andrew had regrets about how the divorce impacted their daughter, he told PEOPLE in 1995.

"We were too involved in our professional lives and fixing up the house. We were always making the home into a mythological place. But it wasn't a home—we didn't spend enough time with Lexi," he said, noting at the time that he hadn't spoken to her since 1988. "It's a source of tremendous pain for me. I think of her every single day, many times ... She saw her mother hurt, and she thought I was uncaring. One way or another, she got the facts wrong as well as the interpretation."

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Who is Andrew Stewart married to now?

Andy Stewart married Martha's former assistant, Robyn Fairclough—who just happened to be some 21 years his junior—in 1993. They've since divorced.

Andy married his third wife, Shyla Nelson Stewart, in 2016. They reportedly split their time between Lake Champlain, Vermont, and Pasadena, California. Shyla is president and CEO of Fieldstone Publishing.

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What does Andrew Stewart do for a living?

Andy Stewart in his office in 1980<p>Arthur Schatz/Getty Images</p>
Andy Stewart in his office in 1980

Arthur Schatz/Getty Images

Andrew has a master's in law from Columbia University and previously studied law at Yale (which was when he and Martha first met). He previously was CEO of publishing houses Harry N. Abrams Inc. and Stewart, Tabori & Chang Inc., The New York Times reported. He's currently Publisher Emeritus of Fieldstone Publishing, where he works with his third wife, Shyla.

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Did Martha Stewart ever have any kids?

Martha Stewart and Alexis Stewart attend Paul McCartney plays World Famous Apollo Theater for first time, celebrating 20 Million Sirius XM Subscribers at The Apollo Theater on December 13, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images North America)<p>Larry Busacca/Getty Images</p>
Martha Stewart and Alexis Stewart attend Paul McCartney plays World Famous Apollo Theater for first time, celebrating 20 Million Sirius XM Subscribers at The Apollo Theater on December 13, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images North America)

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Stewart and ex-husband Andrew share one daughter, Alexis, born Sept. 27, 1965. Their relationship was strained when Alexis was young. In her memoir, Whateverland: Learning to Live Here, Alexis wrote (via ABC News) that Martha had a "very hands-off approach to child rearing" and had Alexis wrap her own Christmas gifts.

There was also the pressure that came with, you know, being Martha Stewart's kid: "If I didn't do something perfectly, I had to do it again. I grew up with a glue gun pointed at my head," she wrote. "Martha does everything better. You can't win!"

Andrew Stewart is also father to five other children, though details about them are scant.

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Does Martha Stewart have biological children?

Alexis Stewart is Martha and Andrew's biological daughter.

Next up: The Best Grilling Tips from Martha Stewart's Butcher