Sarah Ferguson praises 'brave' Kate Middleton, King Charles for speaking 'openly' about cancer journeys
Sarah Ferguson praised Kate Middleton and King Charles III for their transparency about their cancer journeys.
The Duchess of York, 64, who has publicly battled two types of cancer, expressed her admiration for the 42-year-old Princess of Wales and the 75-year-old monarch, both of whom revealed their cancer diagnoses earlier this year. In February, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had been diagnosed with a form of cancer and was undergoing treatment.
In March, Middleton disclosed her own cancer diagnosis and shared that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. In a heartfelt video shared earlier this month, the royal revealed that she was cancer-free after completing her treatment. The mother of three acknowledged it had been an "incredibly tough" year for her family, but said her cancer battle had reminded her to "be grateful for the simple yet important things in life" such as "loving and being loved."
Middleton also thanked supporters for their kindness and compassion and told those fighting cancer that she remains by their sides.
"I think they are an example to all families going through their own journeys of health," Ferguson told People Magazine. "I think both the King and the Princess of Wales have spoken openly about their journey, and I love that the Princess says, 'I’m always there for you.' I love that video. It was a beautiful video with beautiful words."
"The King, you know, became the patron of the Cancer Research UK, which is such a big organization, and he actually went out to meet the patients," she noted.
On April 30, Charles and his wife Queen Camilla visited the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre where he met with medical specialists and patients. The visit marked the first time that the monarch returned to public-facing royal duties after taking a three-month break while he received treatment and recuperated following his diagnosis. On the same day, it was announced that Charles had become the patron of Cancer Research UK, the world's largest independent cancer research organization.
"That was very brave too, very courageous, and [he] spoke openly, which was very important to help people and give hope," Ferguson said.
Ferguson has also been open about her own health struggles after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and skin cancer within the same year. In June 2023, Ferguson's representative announced that the duchess had been diagnosed with an "early form of breast cancer" during a routine mammogram. Ferguson subsequently underwent a single mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
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The duchess spoke candidly about her diagnosis on social media and in episodes of her "Tea Talks" podcast and urged her followers to be vigilant about their health.
In January, Ferguson revealed that after overcoming breast cancer, she had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma. During the reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy, Ferguson had moles removed which were then tested. One of the moles was determined to be cancerous.
"Naturally another cancer diagnosis has been a shock but I’m in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support," Ferguson wrote the caption of an Instagram post. "I believe my experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma and urge anyone who is reading this to be diligent."
In May, Ferguson's daughter Princess Beatrice shared a positive update on her mother's health. The duchess shares Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34, with her ex-husband Prince Andrew of York.
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"She's doing really well," Beatrice said on ITV's "This Morning," per The DailyMail. "She's had a bumpy health scare last year, but [she's] all clear now… I think at 64, she's thriving. She's been through so much. I think really now she's sort of coming into her own."
During her interview with People Magazine, Ferguson opened up about the current state of her health and how her back-to-back health scares have affected her.
"I think that you never really get rid of the worry about health. For every sort of melanoma, you never really know where it is. You look at everything and you’re certainly more aware," she said. "It’s been an extraordinary journey to have gone through a mastectomy, and then you have to keep having checks, and then you think you’re going to get it again. It’s a lot of very fragile mind work."
"I think that also gives me empathy to understand the fragility of the mind," Ferguson added. "A lot of young people have fragile, vulnerable times, with cyberbullying and chronic cruelty from other people. I think that’s something I address, I am adamant about cruelty through social media."
"My health is really good now, but you have to be a bit more cognitive and not push yourself too much, which I do."