Sarah Ferguson 'I MISS DIANA'S LAUGHTER'

Twenty-five years after the death of her sister-in-law Diana, Fergie opens up about the princess - and talks of her own relationship with Andrew

- ANNA MATHESON

They were both thrust into royal life at a young age, endured the fallout of royal divorces and raised two children, so it’s perhaps natural that Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and Princess Diana found a kinship like no other. While their relationship wasn’t always straightforward – with the duchess even admitting that she found it hard to be portrayed as ‘the sinner’ in the media versus Diana’s ‘the saint’ – the now 62-year-old misses her friend more than ever. ‘I really miss her tinkling laughter,’ Sarah says as she chats exclusively to Woman.

Over the last few years, the world has watched as Diana’s two sons have had a public falling out, with Diana’s youngest – Prince Harry, 37 – jumping ship to raise his children in the US with his wife Meghan. What would Diana think of all the recent issues between her boys and indeed Harry’s decision to break free? The duchess remains steadfast in her opinion that Diana would ‘be so proud of her sons and her grandchildren’.

And as the nation prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of Diana’s passing this August, the duchess says she will take time to think of her late friend. ‘I can’t believe it is 25 years since she has been gone but isn’t it extraordinary how everybody still knows her and talks about her across the world?’ She adds, ‘She stood for kindness and has a fantastic legacy. I will mark the day by thinking of her: I think of Diana often.’