Sarah Ferguson's Princess Diana 'Sinner' Jibes Resurface After Late Royal's 65th Birthday Tributes

Sarah Ferguson's extraordinary complaint she was cast as the "sinner" against Princess Diana's "saint" has resurfaced as renewed attention surrounding the late princess coincides with one of the bleakest periods of Ferguson's public life, OK! can reveal.

Ferguson, 66, made the remarks in a 2009 interview while discussing the possibility of a movie about her life.

They have taken on fresh resonance around what would have been Diana's 65th birthday this year, as Ferguson remains largely outside public view following renewed scrutiny of her association with Jeffrey Epstein and the collapse of several elements of her former public life.

Ferguson said at the time a biopic would start with her "being the sinner in comparison to Princess Diana being the saint," adding: "And yet, is this woman really the sinner? Hasn't she been misunderstood? When people first meet me they say, 'You're much taller and thinner than we thought. And you're quite pretty.' I think to myself, 'Boy did they think I was Shrek before coming?' People look and make comments but nobody really knows me."

The comments illustrated Ferguson's frustration at the contrasting public images surrounding herself and Diana, with whom she was once close friends.

They have resurfaced at a dramatically different moment for Ferguson.

She has maintained a low profile this year amid continuing scrutiny of her former friendship with convicted predator Epstein.

Her charity, Sarah's Trust, was formally wound up this summer after previously announcing it would close following disclosures about their relationship.

Ferguson also lost the Freedom of the City of York in March when councilors unanimously voted to revoke the honor over her links to Epstein.

Several charities had already ended their relationships with her after a previously reported email emerged in 2025 in which she described Epstein as a "supreme friend." Her housing situation has also changed substantially.

Ferguson had continued sharing Royal Lodge with her former husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, despite their 1996 divorce, but she did not follow him to his new home at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate and has reportedly been "sofa surfing" between friends' mansions and hiding out at holiday and ski luxury resorts ever since.

She has nevertheless remained in contact with daughters Princess Beatrice, 38, and Princess Eugenie, 36, while largely withdrawing from the public appearances that once made her a fixture of royal coverage.

Princess Diana became one of the world's most recognizable women after marrying the then-Prince Charles at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981.

Born Diana Frances Spencer in Norfolk on July 1, 1961, she had two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and became celebrated for combining royal glamour with an unusually personal approach to humanitarian work.

Diana championed causes including homelessness, HIV/AIDS and the campaign against landmines.

Her willingness to publicly shake hands with people living with HIV helped challenge stigma, while her 1997 visit to an Angolan minefield became one of the defining images of her humanitarian work.

Diana's marriage deteriorated under extraordinary public scrutiny. Diana and Charles separated in 1992 and divorced in August 1996, leaving her to forge an independent public life.

The People's Princess was killed at age 36 following a high-speed car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.

Her companion Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul also died.

Diana's death prompted an extraordinary global outpouring of grief, culminating in her funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6. Diana was subsequently buried at her family's Althorp estate in Northamptonshire.