Fergie: I know what Kate is feeling

London - Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, has come out in support of Kate Middleton after her recent nude photo scandal.

During an interview with the Daily Mail, she expressed empathy towards the Duchess of Cambridge, saying she knows how Kate must be feeling.

After announcing a world exclusive, Closer magazine invited readers via its website to pick up the new edition and "enjoy the Duchess of Cambridge topless on a guesthouse terrace". The photos were taken during her recent holiday with Prince William at a private villa in Provence, France.

'Deplorable and despicable'

Sarah had her own nude picture scandal in August 1992, when she was photographed having her toes sucked by American businessman John Bryan while laying topless at a pool in the South of France. The photos were published in the Daily Mirror and soon led to her divorce from Prince Andrew.

"I have total empathy and sympathy for her," said Sarah.

"I have been there and know what it's like. Everyone is entitled to privacy. It's a devastating invasion of one's personal inner space. It is deplorable, abhorrent and despicable," she told the Daily Mail during the launch of her new children's novel Ballerina Rosie.

"She is a beautiful young woman doing a great job for the country. Why should she be stripped of that moment with her husband?" Sarah said.

Currently, a French court is set to rule whether to ban the resale of photos of Prince William's wife Catherine sunbathing topless, after the British royal family sought an injunction.