Sarah said she "cleared the way" for her daughters during a candid interview. Speaking about her past, the Duchess of York conceded she had made mistakes.

       But her errors helped her navigate Eugenie and Beatrice through life.

       She told People magazine: "I'm self-deprecating and British.

       "But [one thing] is I'm a really good mum.

       "And I'm a good mum because, in growing up, when the girls used to say, 'Why can't we do that?'.

       "I would say, "Well, I've already made those mistakes.

       "The world's press has written about my mistakes, so you don't need to make them now.

       "So I've gone ahead of you to clear the way so that you can dream and grow and be who you are."

       Her daughters have often spoken highly about the Duchess, as a testimony of their close and good relationship.

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       On Sarah's 61st birthday, Princess Eugenie shared on her Instagram account a series of pictures of her mother, adding: "Happy Birthday to my dear mumsy...

       "There were too many pictures to choose from that show how completely unique you are.

       "Sarah said she does not reject her past as she has learned from it.

       She said: "Someone asked me, 'If you were an astronaut and you could take all the pressure off you, would you leave behind Fergie and Sarah and the Duchess and your past mistakes and failings?'"

       And I said, 'What are you talking about? They're all my friends.'

       "I made friends with past mistakes. I made friends with Fergie.

       "She didn't know any better. And then Sarah. That's why we experiment.

       "How is it that we're meant to be knowledgeable when we don't know?

       "My Fergie, my Duchess, my Sarah: They're all good people."

       The Duchess joined the Royal Family in 1986 upon marrying Prince Andrew.

       The couple drifted apart a few years later and in early 1992 they announced their separation.

       A few months later, in August, Sarah was at the centre of an explosive scandal as intimate pictures portraying herself and businessman John Bryan were made public.

       When the news broke, Sarah was at Balmoral Castle with the Queen and Prince Philip.

       The scandal is widely believed to have badly damaged the Duchess' relationship with the late Duke of Edinburgh.

       Sarah and Andrew announced their divorce four years later.

       However, they remained close for the sake of Beatrice and Eugenie.

       Sarah is now believed to be living at Royal Lodge, Andrew's residence in Windsor.