Sarah Ferguson has admitted she went to “dark places” as she was diagnosed with two different forms of cancer within months of each other.
The Duchess of York, 65, opened up about her health battle after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2023 and underwent a one-off mastectomy.
Then he was dealt another blow when he was told he had a type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, last January.
The Duke of York’s ex-wife described the moment as “a bombshell” and said her family “have been immensely supportive of me during this period.”
Despite joking about her treatment and revealing that she changed the name of her reconstructed breast to ‘Derek’, it seems the true depth of her double cancer trauma was much more difficult than previously thought.
‘It was difficult. “I’m generally a positive person, but cancer is like a bomb that explodes in your life,” she said. The times.
‘One diagnosis is enough to deal with, but I had two in the space of a year. I don’t mind admitting that my mind traveled to dark places, reflecting on my own mortality.’
Sarah, or ‘Fergie’, remains close and still lives with her scandal-hit ex-husband Prince Andrew at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate.
Sarah Ferguson admitted she went to “dark places” as she was diagnosed with two different forms of cancer within months of each other.

Sarah, or ‘Fergie’, remains close and still lives with her scandal-hit ex-husband Prince Andrew at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate.

Fergie and her ex-husband Andrew pictured with their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Following his links with an alleged Chinese spy, Andrew and his ex-wife voluntarily agreed to withdraw from the royal Christmas party, but understood that the king is grateful to Sarah for acting as a conduit between him and his younger brother.
The alleged agent, Yang Tengbo, was so close to Andrew that he visited Buckingham Palace twice and entered St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle. He was even authorized to act on Andrew’s behalf to seek investors in China.
Tengbo, who has since been banned from entering the UK following an MI5 investigation, has denied being a spy or doing anything illegal. He challenged his ban before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in July, but lost his appeal last month.
Amid the alleged Chinese spy scandal, Sarah is believed to have influenced her ex-husband’s decision not to attend the royal Christmas party.
Speaking ahead of the latest allegations, Fergie professed her undying support for her ex-husband, revealing that she is currently looking out for him and “won’t let him down.”
The Duchess also spoke about her personal experience with mental health issues among men and recently said she acted as a “caregiver” when she lived with her father, whom she described as “deeply sad and struggling for many years.”
She added: “I was left in charge of a sad man, which is pretty much what I’m doing now,” a possible reference to her relationship with her ex-husband Andrew.
The duke, 64, was forced to step away from palace duties due to his relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and was stripped of his title, military roles and royal patronages by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on January 13, 2022.

Amid the alleged Chinese spy scandal, Sarah is believed to have influenced Andrew’s (pictured) decision not to attend the royal Christmas party.

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at Sandringham for the Christmas Day festivities.

Fergie attended the stroll on Christmas Day last year with other royals for the first time since 1992.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson arrive at the memorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece at Windsor Castle in February.
Sarah also told the story of the son of the Duchess’ “oldest and dearest” friends, who took his own life on December 15, 2006.
James Wentworth-Stanley, a 21-year-old Spanish and business studies student at Newcastle University, reported feeling suicidal after a minor operation, but was left waiting a few hours after being classified as low priority at A&E. He took his life days later.
The duchess, who said she “adored” James, is godmother to his younger brother Harry and Milford Haven is godmother to his eldest daughter Princess Beatrice.
The suicide rate in the UK has risen to its highest level in more than 25 years and is now the leading cause of death among men and women aged 20 to 34, accounting for almost a quarter of deaths, more proportionally than any other age group.
He added that he also worries about his daughters, Princess Beatrice, now 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34.
She said: ‘You worry about them all the time. I still do it now, when they are adults. I think young people today have it more difficult than ever. “Social media is a cesspool and it is very scary what young people are exposed to.”
Sarah and Prince divorced in 1996 after separating in 1992, but the duchess has remained close to her ex-husband.
“Sources on both sides of the fence have told me that she has been instrumental in simply being a small, calm voice of calm in her dealings with her ex-husband and they have told me that the King understands that it is a very delicate situation,” she said. royal editor Rebecca English in Mail+’s Palace Confidential last month.
“She has been very loyal to Andrew with all his difficulties over the years, but also to be fair to her, she has been respectful to the King, the Queen and the late Queen Elizabeth.”
- For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support