Sarah Ferguson Says "Family Unity Is Key" as She Battles Cancer at the Same Time as King Charles and Kate Middleton

"I think the key to life is that we all support each other."

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York attends the amfAR Cannes Gala 30th edition Presented by Chopard and Red Sea International Film Festival at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 23, 2024 in Cap d'Antibes, France.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sarah Ferguson is sharing an update on her ongoing cancer treatment as she emphasizes the importance of family coming together during times of crisis.

On Thursday, May 23, while attending the annual amfAR Gala in France, the Duchess of York told People in an exclusive interview that she is "doing very well" as she continues treatment for skin cancer.

"I think that we've managed to get cancer in the right place rather than cancer ruling me," she continued. "I've put cancer in the corner.

Ferguson revealed she has been diagnosed with skin cancer earlier this year in January, one month after she announced she had "beaten" breast cancer after undergoing a mastectomy.

"I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery," Ferguson wrote in an Instagram post shared on January 22. "It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was."

A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (Fergie)

A photo posted by sarahferguson15 on

In January, a rep for Ferguson told Us Weekly that at the time a dermatologist "asked that several moles were removed and analyzed at the same time as the Duchess was undergoing reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy."

"One of these has been identified as cancerous," the rep continued. "Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing but the Duchess remains in good spirits."

"I think you always have to be aware," Ferguson told People in the same recent interview. "I think it’s great to get checked for breast cancer (and) melanoma. I think you just have to be very candid about it.”

Shortly after Ferguson announced her skin cancer diagnosis, King Charles he announced he was also diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer, following by Kate Middleton's shocking announcement she too was diagnosed with cancer and undergoing preventative treatment.

A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (Fergie)

A photo posted by sarahferguson15 on

Recently, news broke that the Princess of Wales is unlikely to return to public-facing royal duties until at least the fall...if at all this year.

According to The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, the Middleton will likely remain out of the public eye until Autumn, “and only then if she has recovered fully" from her cancer diagnosis.

Royal sources told The Daily Beast a return by fall may not happen, either. Instead, the sources claim Middleton may "not appear in public for the rest of the year," adding that she is currently “surrounded by her birth family as she continues a course of preventive chemotherapy."

"I think the key to life is that we all support each other,” Ferguson told People. “And also forgiveness is a great thing. I think forgiveness of yourself, and forgiveness of others.

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.