Speaking to Oprah at the time, Sarah - who had recently split from Prince Andrew - said: "You didn't marry the fairytale, you married a man. You fell in love and married a man, and then you have to come to terms with the fairytale. Now it's not a fairy tale, it's real life."

Discussing her experience as a royal, Sarah recalled that she struggled with the rules placed on the royals at Buckingham Palace.

She said: "The palace from when you look at it from the outside, the windows have to be open in only a certain amount so they are all in line, and I'd come in and throw open all the windows. And no, that was wrong."

Including a similar theme as what was to come from Harry and Meghan's interview 25 years later, Sarah spoke about the "cruel" treatment that she had received from the British tabloid press.

Sarah told Oprah: "I must explain that the British press at the moment is completely and utterly cruel and abusive and so invasive. It is very cruel and very painful when you are going to try and find the feelings within to be on such a public stage."

Asked why she didn't continue to "play the game", Sarah added: "You could do that, and if that's what suits you, then that's what suits you."

Then speaking about the late Princess Diana, who had already separated from the now-King Charles, she added: "But Diana and I are like rivers, we want to learn more, we want to go around the corner, we are hungry for more."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's interview - which aired on March 7, 2021 - covered a range of topics - as well as some major bombshells. Meghan was heavily pregnant with Princess Lilibet at the time.