Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana smiling and looking at each other while at the polo

Sarah Ferguson has recalled the moment she was arrested alongside Princess Diana – and the late Queen’s surprising response to the news.

The incident took place in 1986 when Diana was one of the most famous women in the world following her marriage to then-Prince Charles. Sarah, meanwhile, was preparing to marry Prince Andrew the following week, and the future sisters-in-law headed out to celebrate her upcoming nuptials.

“On my hen night we did dress up as policewomen and we were arrested by parks’ police,” Sarah previously told the White Wine Question Time podcast. “We were put in the back of the parks’ police van and Diana then leant and ate his smokey bacon crisps – the man who was driving.


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“And then we were arrested and then eventually she had to flick her ring, her call sign. Then we got off, eventually.” Sarah then shared that the following day she was called in to see the Queen.

“Certainly I was hauled in front of the boss the next day,” she continued. “But luckily HM did laugh.” She added: “We both flashed our rings because I had one by then, it was certainly a very good memory.” It comes after Sarah paid a loving tribute to Diana on Monday – what would have been the late Princess’ 64th birthday.

She shared a throwback photo of the pair together on Instagram, along with the caption: “Happy birthday to my dear friend, Diana. You were a pillar of light and love. And what a legacy you have left behind. I will forever remember our laughter and the kindred, kind spirit I found in you. I am sure you are watching over us always. Rest in peace my friend.”

Last year, Sarah spoke about her bond with Diana on her podcast Tea Talks. She said that Diana “never understood how brilliant she was really, you know, and together we both didn’t. And I used to hug her but she wouldn’t understand.”

She added, “We loved each other with all our hearts and she made me laugh more than any other single person I’ve ever met in my life.” Sarah further told her Tea Talks co-host Sarah Thomson: “There was nobody like [Diana] in the world because she had that ability to give her entire heart because she didn’t give her entire heart to herself.”

While Sarah and Diana were close, they also had a turbulent relationship. They had a falling out in 1996, and at the time of Diana’s death, Sarah shared they “hadn’t spoken for years.”

Yet, she still remembers her former sister-in-law fondly. “I believe that Diana would be so proud of her boys,” she told Town & Country. “And she’d be so proud of her grandchildren.”