LONDON: Sarah Ferguson has opened up about one of the biggest regrets of her life losing the chance to repair her friendship with Princess Diana before the late royal’s tragic death in 1997.
The Duchess of York and Diana were once among the closest members of the British Royal Family, but their relationship reportedly became strained during Diana’s final years.
In her autobiography Finding Sarah: A Duchess’s Journey to Find Herself, Ferguson said she never fully understood the reason behind their falling out despite making efforts to reconcile.
“Sadly, at the end we hadn’t spoken for a year,” Ferguson wrote, adding that she sent letters in the hope that they could resolve their differences.
According to Ferguson, a mutual friend told her that shortly before Diana’s death in Paris, the Princess of Wales had asked about her, reportedly saying, “Where’s that Red? I want to talk to her.”
Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, leaving the two friends without an opportunity to rebuild their relationship.
Their disagreement has often been linked to Ferguson’s 1996 autobiography, in which she joked about developing plantar warts after borrowing Diana’s shoes.
While the comment reportedly upset Diana, Ferguson has said she never fully understood why it affected their friendship so deeply.
Before their rift, the two women shared a close bond after Ferguson married Prince Andrew in 1986, five years after Diana married then-Prince Charles. During the 1980s, they were frequently seen together at royal engagements, polo matches, Christmas gatherings at Sandringham, and other public events.
More than two decades after Diana’s death, Ferguson continues to speak fondly of her former sister-in-law. In an interview with HELLO! magazine, she described Diana as a warm, humorous, and unforgettable person whose legacy continues to inspire people around the world.
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Ferguson said she thinks about Diana regularly and remembers her laughter, playful personality, and kindness. “My heart is always with her,” she said.
