‘I mirrored her’: Sarah Ferguson says she ‘copied’ Princess Diana after joining royal family

The Duchess of York has spoken lovingly about her friendship and the fond memories she has of her good friend, the late Princess of Wales.

When Sarah Ferguson became a member of the British royal family, she looked up to “Duch” for inspiration.

The Duchess of York, also known as Fergie, spoke out about her friendship with Princess Diana on the latest episode of her podcast Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah.

During the “Drink or Spill” segment, co-host Sarah Thomson asked the 63-year-old if she connected with the late Princess of Wales, reports Fox News.

That’s when the former wife of Prince Andrew decided to spill the tea.

Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York attend the 50th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain Parade, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 1990. Picture: Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images

“Diana and I, we definitely talked incessantly about charity. We loved to give,” Ferguson explained. “So, she was very similar to me. She never understood how brilliant she was really, and together we both didn’t. And I used to hug her, but she wouldn’t understand. And her mother and my mother were at school together, and they were best friends. And Diana was my fourth cousin. You know, it’s just extraordinary that we were brought together.”

Ferguson and Diana were childhood friends before they married into the British royal family just a few years apart. After Diana married Charles in 1981, she introduced her pal to her brother-in-law. The Duke and Duchess of York said “I do” in 1986.

The duo were all laughs at the Guard's Polo Club in Windsor in 1983. Picture: Georges De Keerle/Getty Images

The Most Intriguing Lady author admitted she was inspired by her sister-in-law’s charisma – so much so that she attempted to mimic her while trying to navigate royal life.

Ferguson’s nickname for Diana was “Duch”, sometimes spelled “Dutch”. It was short for “Duchess”.

“I remember when I first became a princess with Duch, and I watched her work a room,” Ferguson recalled. “And I just copied her. I mirrored her, how she did it because she was just incredible. She just immediately went in with her heart. Full heart, full energy, and she left everything outside the door.”

Both women also endured personal heartbreak within their marriages. Charles and Diana’s divorce was finalised in 1996. The Princess of Wales died in 1997 from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. She was 36.

Ferguson and Andrew called it quits in 1996.

Diana and Sarah chatting together during a ski holiday in Klosters. Picture: Tim Graham/Getty Images

When looking back on her friendship with Diana, Ferguson said, “We loved each other with all our hearts.”

“She made me laugh more than any other single person I’ve ever met in my life,” Ferguson shared. “Diana was just a tinkling laughter down the corridors, and there was nobody like her in the world because she had that ability to give her entire heart because she didn’t give her entire heart to herself. It’s been written about many times. And I have decided, at 63, to perhaps start understanding what that means.”

In April, Ferguson announced she was launching a weekly podcast based on “candid conversations”.

In March, Ferguson told Fox News Digital she still cherishes her memories of Diana.

“I think people might be surprised to know how hilarious she was,” Ferguson said. “There was no one who could make me laugh harder or more immediately than Diana. She was incredible and one of life’s true soulmates for me.”

This article originally appeared in Fox News and was reproduced with permission