Nicole Richie recounts awkward fallout with Paris Hilton

Nicole Richie has opened up about the awkward falling out she endured with close friend Paris Hilton.

The 43-year-old reality star has been a firm friend of millionaire heiress Hilton since childhood and they are now starring in a revival of their smash show The Simple Life.

But their relationship was greatly rocked in their 20s - with the pair now claiming the press drove a wedge between them by creating a rivalry that 'wasn't there' through tabloid reports.

Discussing their decades-long friendship, Richie told People on Friday, "I think anytime you are separated from your loved ones, it's not the best moments. But Paris and I have more of a sisterhood than I would say, a standard friendship."

She continued, "We've been in each other's lives for as long as I can remember since we were 2. So this is just, it's life and it's just been so exciting to be able to shoot this show again. It was great."

The star went on, "I just feel so lucky just to have a lifelong friendship like we have - a friendship that's longer than most marriages.

"We've just been through everything together in life since we were little babies. I'm just so proud of how much we've grown and just all the experiences that we've been through in life. It made us these really incredibly strong, resilient and amazing women, and I'm really proud of us."