How Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Are Responding to Mom Sarah Ferguson's Cancer Diagnosis, According to a Royal Expert
This must be difficult for the whole family.
Just this week, a representative for Sarah Ferguson confirmed that the Duchess of York had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
"Sarah, Duchess of York was recently diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer detected at a routine mammogram screening," the rep said.
"She was advised she needed to undergo surgery, which has taken place successfully."
They added, "The duchess is receiving the best medical care and her doctors have told her that the prognosis is good."
While the original diagnosis must have been incredibly distressing, Sarah and her whole family must be feeling immense relief now that she's been given good news following her surgery.
"Everyone will be wishing Fergie well after this sad news that she’s had a mastectomy following a routine mammogram," royal expert Jennie Bond commented to OK!.
"It must have been a tremendous shock for her, particularly as there were no symptoms, and it was a total surprise. She almost didn’t bother to go for the check-up, but her sister persuaded her that it was important."
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For Bond, Fergie has adopted a wonderfully positive attitude about the experience, taking it as a lesson to apply to her health and life in the future.
"In typical Sarah style, she is sounding incredibly positive about it, saying she has taken it as a wake up call to take better care of herself, get fit and also to encourage everyone to go for cancer scans whenever they are offered," the expert continued.
"Obviously her daughters will also take this as a wake up call to have regular checks. Hopefully Beatrice and Eugenie have been reassured by the positive prognosis that their mother has been given. Beatrice was at Glastonbury over the weekend, so presumably her mind had already been set at rest."
Sarah seems incredibly close with her two daughters, Beatrice, 34, and Eugenie, 33, whom she shares with ex-husband Prince Andrew.
In an Instagram post she shared on British Mother's Day, the duchess wrote, "I’m so proud of my girls and the beautiful women and mothers they have grown up to be. I feel extremely blessed to call them mine. My darlings, you are my sunshine always & forever."
I'm so glad all three women have received good news after this scary experience.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.