Sarah Ferguson and Meghan Markle aren't two people you'd ordinarily put together - but their stories are almost spookily similar.
Fergie knows exactly what it's like to marry into the Royal Family and all the pressure which comes with it, having married to Prince Andrew for 10 years before the couple announced their "amicable split" in 1992.
The Duchess of York, 63, also knows what it's like to be pushed out to the cold by the royals and to rebuild your life in America.
And in a strange twist of fate, it was actually the Duchess of Sussex who helped bring Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's mother back into the royal fold.
At the event to promote the book A Most Intriguing Lady, Fergie was asked what advice she would give Prince Harry and Meghan on having a public marriage.
"I think the best way to answer that is to really take hold and lead by example. I wouldn't give advice, I would say that your actions speak louder than words," she said.
Fergie who was also very close to Harry's mother, the late Princess Diana, also said that she and King Charles would be proud.
She added: "Diana and I, we played a lot and had a great time. I feel like she would be absolutely, and so is the King, so proud of their grandchildren and the family… I think forgiveness is key."
While the the late Queen always had a soft spot for her former and 'favourite' daughter-in-law, Prince Philip described her as "odd" and "pointless".
For many years, scandal-prone Sarah was snubbed from weddings and other major family events.
Prince William, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall were all page boys and bridesmaid at Fergie's wedding to Prince Andrew, but she didn't get an invite to Will's nuptials with Kate Middleton in 2011 or to those of Princess Anne's children.
However, the Duchess of York made her big comeback when she attended Harry's wedding to Meghan in 2018.
Speaking about what was going through her head on Good Morning Britain, she explained: "I felt like I was really happy for my friend Diana, who I love, and my mum and dad, and I felt honoured and grateful for Harry and Meghan to invite me.
"It was very kind of them and I think I can't thank them enough for doing that because it was nerve-wracking but I knew I was ready."
Fergie has always said that Princess Diana, who she was particularly close with, would have been "proud" of Harry and Meghan.
It has since emerged that Sarah met Meghan for the first time just before the former Suits actress was going to have her first audience with Queen Elizabeth II.
Meghan said she didn't do any research into the Royal Family when she first started seeing Harry and "didn't fully understand what the job was", but luckily Fergie was on hand to quickly teach her.
In her controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan recounted: "And I remember Harry and I are in the car and he says, ‘okay, well, my, my grandmother's there. So you're going to meet her.'"
But she was surprised when Harry asked if she knew how to curtsy.
Meghan said: "I thought that was part of the fanfare. I don't think that's what happens inside. And I said, but it's your grandmother. He goes, it's the Queen."
She then had to learn "very quickly" outside the front of Royal Lodge with Fergie. Meghan explained: "Right in front of the house we practised and ran in.
"Fergie ran out and said, 'Do you know how to curtsy?'... Apparently, I did a very deep curtsy, I don’t remember it, and then we sat there and we chatted."
This account is backed up by Harry in his memoir Spare, where he describes the moment his aunt helped his partner.
"As we walked towards the door Fergie and I both leaned into Meg, whispering quick reminders," wrote Harry. "When you first meet the Queen it's Your Majesty. Thereafter it's just Ma'am. Rhymes with ham."
Sarah has refused to judge the Sussexes for their decision to quit as working royals - having a lot of experience in that department.
Earlier this month, she told the Daily Mail : "I don't believe that any single person has the right to judge another person. I'm not in a position myself to make any judgments.
"I have been judged all my life, and I have no judgment on the Sussexes."
he then added that Princess Diana would be "incredibly proud2 of her five grandchildren, which includes Harry and Meghan's son Archie and daughter Lilibet as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton's youngsters Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
After it emerged that Harry and Meghan will be booted out of Frogmore Cottage, the Duchess of York said she "can understand" why her nephew would choose to pack up his life and move overseas.
In an interview with the Telegraph about her relationship with the Royal Family, the Duchess said: "I can't speak for [Harry].
"But I will say that after I got divorced, I spent 12 years in America, writing books, and it was a wonderful place for me. I felt free there."
Sarah added that she cannot "thank Americans enough" for their hospitality and so she "can understand why he would [do that]".
But Fergie has recently admitted she "does not really know" the Duchess of Sussex well as they only met briefly, but she is sure that Meghan "really loves" Harry.
She added that she spoke to Meghan at the Queen's funeral and thought the Duchess looked "absolutely beautiful".
Asked if Meghan has damaged the Royal Family, Fergie told the Telegraph : "It is absolutely not my place to answer that. She has made Harry very happy, and that is so nice. Honestly, he's so happy with her. She really loves him.
"And I think that's beautiful – and that Diana would be proud of him and her lovely grandchildren."
