Sarah Ferguson has recalled the last words Queen Elizabeth II said to her.
Prince Andrew’s ex-wife spoke to The Times on Saturday about her close relationship with the late Queen before her death on September 8, 2022.
The Duchess of York said Queen Elizabeth supported her throughout her marriage to the Duke of York from 1986 through 1996.
“When we married, I was ‘the breath of fresh air’. Everyone loved me—it was addictive,” she said.
However, the Duchess said she “got lost, probably trying to be like (the late Princess) Diana”.
“I was an addict to food. The fact I could eat my emotions was the only thing that saved my life,” she said.
The Duchess described herself as “huge” during her postnatal depression after Princess Beatrice was born in 1988 and believed it when people referred to her as ‘the Duchess of Pork’.
“But the Queen never lost me. The best advice she gave me was the last thing she said to me: ‘Sarah, remember that yourself is good enough. It makes me cry,'” she said.
While it’s unclear where the exchange occurred, the-then 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth spent her final days at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Perhaps showing the royal women’s bond, the Duke and Duchess of York inherited the Queen’s beloved corgis Sandy and Muick, after her passing.
The dogs appear to thrive at Sarah and Andrew’s sprawling 19th-century Royal Lodge, where the divorced pair have lived since 2003 under a generous 75-year lease from the Crown Estate.
In celebration of International Dog Day in August, the Duchess posted a cheerful photo of herself with the two corgis on Instagram.
“Wishing you and all your furry friends a Happy #InternationalDogDay 🐶 For all the unconditional love, loyalty, and joy they bring into our lives, Sandy and Muick will be getting an extra treat on their special day!” she said.
Speaking on Jess Rowe‘s Big Talk Show podcast while touring Australia for her book launch in November, Sarah reflected on the Queen’s legacy.
“The thing about the Queen was that she was more my mother than my own mother,” she said.
“The Queen was an iconic, legendary, stalwart, steadfast, invisible hand of love behind your back.”