Originally appeared on E! Online
Sarah Ferguson has been diagnosed with skin cancer, months after she underwent a single mastectomy to treat breast cancer.
The Duchess of York's rep issued a statement about her latest ailment Jan. 21.
"Following her diagnosis with an early form of breast cancer this summer, Sarah, Duchess of York has now been diagnosed with malignant melanoma," the spokesperson said in a statement to E! News. "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."
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According to The Telegraph and other outlets, Ferguson was diagnosed with skin cancer days after Christmas—and after she made a surprise appearance with Prince Andrew and the rest of the royal family at a Christmas Day service in Sandringham, Norfolk. The duchess is being treated by an oncologist and dermatologist from London hospitals and has been has been recuperating at a medical spa in Austria, E! News has learned.
"She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages," the author's rep said. "Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing, but the Duchess remains in good spirits."
The statement added that "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. 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."
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Ferguson and ex-husband Prince Andrew—who lives with her and the late Queen Elizabeth II's corgis—are parents to Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. The latter is patron of the British Skin Foundation.
News of Ferguson's latest cancer diagnosis comes days after the royal family announced that King Charles III is set to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate and that Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has undergone a planned abdominal surgery and will remain hospitalized for most of the rest of January.
Ferguson has made no mention of her skin cancer diagnosis on her Instagram. In a New Year's Eve post reflecting on 2023, she spoke about her past cancer battle, noting that she "beat breast cancer," and shared an optimistic message.
She also added, "I have had the pleasure of meeting some very inspiring people from around the world with beautiful stories to tell. I have discovered within myself that I, too, have more stories to tell. I am 64 and just getting started."
