Sarah Ferguson discussed past struggles with sleep and psychological fears in a resurfaced television interview with Canadian host Dini Petty on CTV, following her divorce from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. "I sat up in bed and slept with my eyes open because I was so scared of the dark," she said, explaining that she believed this would help her see approaching spooks.

The mother of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie said the fear of the dark reflected her anxieties. "I realised that my fear of the dark was my fear of the demons inside myself and the black treacle, my fears and anxieties that were inside myself," she said.

She said she survived by confronting those inner demons head-on. "Suddenly I realised that it is all alright really," she said of her personal journey.

"It's a long way, and it's a big battle, but I am here, and it is alright." The remarks have drawn widespread attention across media platforms and prompted discussion of mental health and personal resilience. Observers have said that revisiting these struggles highlights an ongoing journey of self-acceptance.