Princess Diana's heartbreaking final words for Fergie came one day too late

Sarah Ferguson has spoken about one of the greatest regrets of her life, the friendship she never had the chance to repair with Princess Diana before the late royal's tragic death in 1997.

Although the two women were once among the closest members of the Royal Family, their relationship cooled during Diana's final years. 

In her autobiography Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, the Duchess of York admitted she never fully understood what caused the rift, despite repeatedly trying to make peace.

"Sadly, at the end we hadn't spoken for a year," Sarah wrote, explaining that she sent letters in the hope they could put their differences behind them.

According to Sarah, a mutual friend told her that the day before Diana died in Paris, the Princess had asked about her. 

"Where's that Red? I want to talk to her," Diana reportedly said.

The words became even more poignant after she was killed in a car crash on August 31, 1997, leaving the two women without the opportunity to reconcile.

Their falling out has often been linked to Fergie's 1996 autobiography, in which she joked that she had caught plantar warts after borrowing Diana's shoes. 

While the anecdote reportedly upset Diana, Sarah has always maintained she never truly knew why their friendship came to an end.

Long before the disagreement, the pair shared an unusually close bond. They became sisters-in-law when Sarah married Andrew in 1986, five years after Diana had married the then-Prince Charles. 

Throughout the 1980s, they were frequently seen laughing together at polo matches, spending Christmases at Sandringham and appearing side by side at major royal events.

More than two decades after Diana's death, Sarah has continued to speak warmly about her friend. 

In an interview with HELLO! magazine, she described the Princess of Wales as "such an angelic, beautiful, tall, stunning woman" whose warmth and humour remain unforgettable.

"I think about her most days," Sarah said, recalling the fun they shared during their years together in the Royal Family.

She also reflected on Diana's lasting legacy, saying she never realised how deeply she was loved around the world.

"I'll always remember her tinkling laughter and her being so naughty with her jokes," Sarah said. "My heart is always with her."