Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Reveals Skin Cancer Diagnosis Just Weeks After Announcing She “Beat Breast Cancer”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 21 January 2024

This has been the worst week in memory when it comes to the health of the members of the royal family (or those who at least at one time were members of the royal family). After the Princess of Wales’ office at Kensington Palace announced she had planned abdominal surgery this week—and would be off of royal duties until at least April—Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles would be hospitalized in the coming days to treat a benign enlarged prostate. Now it seems the phrase “things come in threes” is true: Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has been diagnosed with skin cancer, it was announced today.

“Following her diagnosis with an early form of breast cancer this summer, Sarah, Duchess of York, has now been diagnosed with malignant melanoma,” a representative of Ferguson’s told People.

The spokesperson said Ferguson had several moles removed and analyzed by a dermatologist while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy—and one of the moles was identified as cancerous.

“The Duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist, whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was,” the representative said. “She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color, and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma.”

Ferguson is receiving treatment for her melanoma in London and has taken time to recuperate at the MAYRLIFE clinic, a medical health resort in Austria. “She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages,” the spokesperson continued. “Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing, but the Duchess remains in good spirits.”

Ferguson was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer last June, which was detected during a routine mammogram screening. She then underwent a successful single mastectomy and revealed that she “beat breast cancer” in a New Year’s Eve message shared on social media.

Ferguson married Prince Andrew in 1986; they divorced in 1996 but remained friendly, even cohabitating together up to the present at Royal Lodge. They share two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Ferguson joined the royal family for Christmas at Sandringham just weeks ago, believed to be her first Christmas there since the 1990s.

We send so many well-wishes to you, Duchess.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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