The late Princess of Wales reportedly did not hold her former brother-in-law, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in high regard, according to the royal biography Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by author Andrew Lownie.
Diana reportedly thought the disgraced royal was "very noisy and loud". According to extracts from the book, released last year, she said: "He was very, very noisy and loud." She reportedly added: "It occurred to me that there was something troubling him," and "[His character] was not for me... He was not a doer."
Recalling Andrew's Habits
Echoing reports from insiders that Andrew was a "couch potato", Diana reportedly recalled how he could watch cartoons and videos "all day". The two were often spotted together at royal events and polo matches, including ahead of the birth of his second daughter, Princess Eugenie, in 1990.
Diana's Friendship with Sarah Ferguson
Diana reportedly held a close friendship with Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. They are said to have initially bonded over their shared feelings of isolation, restriction, and unhappiness within the strict boundaries of royal life.
Although they had a close bond, the pair fell out after the release of Sarah's autobiography, My Story, in 1996. Mr Lownie said: "In fact, the reality was that Diana was very concerned that Sarah Ferguson might well be selling stories about her, and that relationship was never repaired, though Sarah Ferguson pretended it had."
"Diana would come to Sarah Ferguson every Sunday, and they would moan about the Royal Family," Lownie said. "They both felt very restricted within the confines of the royal family."
"But at the same time, there were some concerns Diana had that Fergie was perhaps too boisterous, and she was kind of undermining Diana's own reputation, and she began to distance herself."
The Rift and Its Aftermath
Both Diana and Sarah separated from their husbands in 1992, and both finalised their divorces in 1996. Although the rift was never repaired before Diana died, Sarah attended her funeral at Westminster Abbey and has frequently spoken of Diana with warmth and regret in later years.
