Prince Charles wished Diana 'could be more like Fergie': 'Why are you miserable'

Princess Diana had to face constant comparisons with Sarah Ferguson during her marriage to Prince Charles.

Fergie, wife of Prince Andrew, impressed the royal family with her demeanour and 'jolly' personality- a trait that became misery for Diana.

The Princess of Wales biographer, Andrew Morton, writes in his book about how Charles once wishes Diana could be more like Fergie.

In his book Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words, Morton wrote: "My husband made me feel so inadequate in every possible way: each time I came up for air, he pushed me down again," she said in extracts of the book being serialised by the Daily Mail.

"Fergie seemed to know all about the royal set-up, and came to lunch at Buckingham Palace and didn’t seem daunted by it all

"Suddenly, everybody said: ‘Oh, isn’t Fergie marvellous, a breath of fresh air — thank God she’s more fun than Diana.’

"I felt terribly insecure. I thought maybe I ought to be like Fergie.

"And my husband said: ‘I wish you would be like Fergie — all jolly. Why are you always so miserable?

"Why can’t you be like Grannie [the Queen Mother]?’ I’m quite glad I’m not like Grannie now. And I made so many balls-ups trying to be like Fergie."

She added: "Fergie was a different kettle of fish altogether, and she wooed everybody in this family and did it so well. She left me looking like dirt.

"I knew eventually Fergie would turn round and say: ‘Duch [Diana’s childhood nickname], how on earth have you survived all these years?’ She’s said it now for the past two years."