Sarah Ferguson has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma following the removal of a cancerous mole during treatment for breast cancer.
The Duchess of York had several moles removed and analyzed while having reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy, her spokesman said.
The duchess “remains in good spirits”, despite it being “distressing” to have another cancer diagnosis.
Sarah Ferguson is the third royal to announce a medical procedure this week.
Her spokesperson said: “Her dermatologist asked that several moles were removed and analyzed at the same time as the duchess was undergoing reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy, and one of these has been identified as cancerous.
“She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages.
“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 statement also thanked the private medical team that supported the royal during her treatment.”
According to sources close to the duchess, she is back in the UK after initially recuperating in Austria.
In 2023, Sarah Ferguson had a diagnosis of breast cancer, following a routine mammogram screening.
The 64-year-old duchess was very public about her treatment, urging other women to get checked and using her podcast to raise awareness about breast cancer, wanting it to be a positive message to save others.
She went on to have a single mastectomy at King Edward VII hospital in London, a private clinic used by senior royals.
And having not been invited to the Coronation in May, at Christmas Sarah Ferguson appeared at Sandringham, walking to church with the rest of the Royal Family for the first time more than 30 years.
Sarah Ferguson was married to the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, for 10 years before they divorced in 1996.
They continue to share a home at Royal Lodge – a property owned by the Crown Estate at Windsor Great Park.
They have two daughters – Princess Beatrice, 35, and Princess Eugenie, 33 – and three grandchildren.
Kensington Palace said the procedure was successful but that the Princess of Wales was not expected to resume royal duties for months, and would remain in hospital for up to two weeks.
The palace did not disclose further details about Catherine’s condition but said it was not cancer-related.
Shortly after that announcement, Buckingham Palace said King Charles would receive treatment for a benign prostate condition and would visit an undisclosed hospital in the coming days.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a
legal warning to the media after photographs of the duchess in Canada were
published in newspapers and on websites.
According to lawyers, the photos of Meghan Markle walking her dogs and
carrying her son were taken by photographers hiding in bushes and spying on
her.
They say the duchess did not consent and accuse the photographers of
harassment.
Prince Harry and Meghan say that they are prepared to take legal action.
They are believed to be alarmed by paparazzi activity near their current
base on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Lawyers say there have also been attempts to photograph inside the couple’s
home using long-range lenses and they accuse the paparazzi of being camped
outside the property.
Under laws in British Columbia, Meghan Markle may have grounds for a legal
case if she can prove her privacy has been violated, although freedom of the
press and expression is guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.
This comes after Queen Elizabeth II agreed to Prince Harry and Meghan’s wish
to step back from being full-time royals, to become financially independent and
to split their time between the UK and Canada.
On January 20, Meghan Markle was pictured carrying the couple’s
eight-month-old son Archie in a baby sling, while walking her two dogs, Guy and
Oz, in Horth Hill Regional Park on Vancouver Island.
Prince Harry arrived back in Canada on January 21 after attending the
UK-Africa Investment Summit in London on January 20.
The Duke of Sussex had been apart from Meghan and their son for more than 10
days, after she flew back to Canada earlier this month.
On January 18, it was announced that from the spring, Prince Harry and his
wife will no longer be full-time working royals.
They will stop using their HRH titles, no longer carry out royal duties or
military appointments and no longer formally represent the Queen.
Prince Harry has long had an uneasy relationship with the media, having
grown up aware of the impact the intense media interest had on the life of his
late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris while
being pursued by paparazzi on motorbikes.
He has often compared Meghan’s experiences of the press with those of his late mother.
Queen Elizabeth II has agreed a “period of
transition” in which Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will spend time in
Canada and the UK.
The Queen said she was “entirely supportive” of their desire for a
new role but “would have preferred” them to remain full-time working
royals.
She expected final decisions to be made in the coming days, she said.
Senior royals have been in talks about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s role
after they said they wanted to “step back”.
In a statement, Queen Elizabeth said the talks at Sandringham, which also
involved the Prince Charles Wales and Prince William, had been “very
constructive”.
She said: “My family and I are
entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a
young family.
“Although we would have preferred
them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and
understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while
remaining a valued part of my family.”
The Queen said it had been agreed there would be “a period of
transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK”
after Harry and Meghan “made clear that they do not want to be reliant on
public funds in their new lives”.
She said: “These are complex
matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I
have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
The urgent talks were convened after the Sussexes surprised the rest of the
Royal Family on January 8 with a statement expressing their desire to
“step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family”.
Prince Harry and Meghan also said they wanted a “progressive new
role” within the institution, where they would be financially independent
and divide their time between the UK and North America.
Meanwhile, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau told Global News there had been
“no discussions” about the details of the royal couple’s move,
including on the issues of security and any potential impact on Canada’s
taxpayers.
Although no other family member was consulted about the timing of the
announcement, Prince Harry and Meghan said it came after “many months of
reflection and internal discussions”.
Both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke of the difficulties of royal life
and media attention in recent months, with the duke saying he feared his wife
would fall victim to “the same powerful forces” that led to his
mother’s death.
The talks about their future took place as Prince Harry and Prince William
issued a joint statement denying “false claims” that their
relationship had been damaged by “bullying” on the part of the older
brother.
They said that the “inflammatory language” in the claims was “offensive” and “potentially harmful”, given their support for mental health causes.
Queen Elizabeth II has summoned senior royals
to Sandringham on January 13 for face-to-face talks to discuss the future roles
of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
According to local reports, Prince Harry,
Prince William and Prince Charles will all attend, while Meghan is expected
join the discussion over the phone from Canada.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they plan to step back as senior members
of the Royal Family.
There is no suggestion a conclusion will be reached at the meeting.
Prince Harry and Meghan also said they plan to split their time between the
UK and North America, while “continuing to honor our duty to the Queen,
the Commonwealth, and our patronages”.
There are likely to be tax implications to any decision to base themselves outside the UK.
The meeting at the Queen’s estate in Norfolk – being described as the
‘Sandringham summit’ – will be the first time the monarch has come face-to-face
with Prince Harry since the Sussexes’ announcement, which was posted on their
official Instagram account.
The Royal Family was said to be “hurt” at the couple’s statement.
It is understood the Queen was not consulted in advance of their decision.
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, William and Harry are expected to review
a range of possibilities for the Sussexes, taking into account plans outlined
by the couple.
If a deal is agreed in the coming days, there is a general understanding
that it will take some time to implement.
Prince Charles is currently in Oman, after travelling overnight to attend the first of three days of official condolences following the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced
they will step back as “senior” royals and work to become financially
independent.
In a statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also
said they plan to split their time between the UK and North America.
According to the UK’s media outlets, no other royals – including Queen
Elizabeth II or Prince William – was consulted before the statement and
Buckingham Palace is “disappointed”.
Senior royals are understood to be “hurt” by the announcement.
In October 2019, Prince Harry and his wife publicly revealed their struggles
under the media spotlight.
In their unexpected statement on January 8, also posted on their Instagram
page, Prince Harry and Meghan said they made the decision “after many
months of reflection and internal discussions”.
“We intend to step back as
‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially
independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they plan
to balance their time between the UK and North America while “continuing
to honor our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages”.
“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our
son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while
also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter,
including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said discussions with the royal couple on
their decision to step back were “at an early stage”, adding: “We understand their desire to take a
different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to
work through.”
Over Christmas, Prince Harry and Meghan took a six-week break from royal
duties to spend some time in Canada with their son, Archie, who was born in
May.
After returning to the UK on January 7, Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38,
visited Canada’s High Commission in London to thank the country for hosting them
and said the warmth and hospitality they received was “unbelievable”.
During the visit, Meghan said it was an “incredible time” to enjoy
the “beauty of Canada”.
She said: “To see Archie go ‘ah’
when you walk by, and just see how stunning it is – so it meant a lot to
us.”
Former actress Meghan Markel lived and worked in Toronto during her time
starring in the popular American drama Suits,
and she has several Canadian friends.
Prince Harry’ move was compared by specialists to Edward VIII’s abdication
in 1936 in order to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.
The Duke of Sussex is sixth in line to the throne – behind Prince Charles,
Prince William and his three children.
In an ITV documentary in 2019, Meghan Markle admitted motherhood was a
“struggle” due to intense interest from newspapers.
Prince Harry also responded to reports of a rift between him and his brother
William, the Duke of Cambridge, by saying they were on “different
paths”.
In October, Meghan began legal action against the Mailon Sunday over a
claim that it unlawfully published one of her private letters.
Prince Harry also began legal action against the owners of the Sun, the defunct News of the World, and the Daily Mirror, in relation to alleged phone-hacking.
Liz Hurley is to star as a queen in new TV show The Royals.
Liz Hurley, 48, has been signed up by the E! network to shoot a one-hour pilot show The Royals, with filming due to start in New York this week.
Liz Hurley is to star as a queen in new TV show The Royals
Her character, Queen Helena, has been described as a “couture-clad vixen dripping in diamonds”.
A production source said: “When the show was first mooted, there was no one else we even considered for the role except Elizabeth.
“She is so regal and has such bearing.
“She’s the quintessential English lady.
“She has a certain grandeur and dignity and sounds more royal than the royals.”
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