Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson, once close friends and sisters-in-law, had a complicated relationship that ended in estrangement before Diana's death in 1997. However, ahead of one of the biggest scandals to rock Ferguson's life, Diana reportedly issued a mysterious warning.
In 1992, photographs emerged of Ferguson, still married to Prince Andrew, canoodling with American businessman John Bryan on holiday. The images, which showed Bryan kissing or licking Ferguson's toes, caused a media storm and jeopardised her royal standing.
According to royal expert Tina Brown, Diana tipped off a reporter the night before the photos were published, saying: "The redhead's in trouble." Brown, a former editor of Vanity Fair and a friend of Diana's, believed the princess was responsible for alerting the press.
However, Ferguson and her mother, Susan, suspected the leak came from elsewhere within the royal circle. In his book 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York', author Andrew Lownie noted that some royal staff claimed Ferguson hid out in a cottage on the Balmoral Estate after the scandal broke, relying on Diana for support as they spoke regularly on the phone.
The nature of the photographs suggested the photographers had time to prepare, leading to speculation about how they knew of Ferguson's holiday plans. The scandal marked a turning point in Ferguson's relationship with the royal family.
