Sarah Ferguson's new patronage announced

Prince Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who praised King Charles and Princess Kate for their battle against cancer, has been honoured as the new patron of the UK's only charity. 

The Duchess of York has become patron of Breast Cancer Charity, which solely focuses on predicting and preventing the disease.

"I’m living proof of the importance of never skipping screening appointments and always getting symptoms checked out promptly," the Duchess of York said.

Ferguson, popularly known as Fergie, announced that she was "honored" to become the patron of the charity.

Turning to her Instagram, she wrote: "Today I’m honoured to be joining a wonderful charity, Prevent Breast Cancer, as patron, and will be doing all that I can to help spread the word about the importance of early detection," she wrote on Instagram."

Expressing the pain of being diagnosed with cancer, Ferguson said: "It is so difficult when you’re told that you have cancer, not to let your mind go to the darkest places. You can’t help thinking that it’s a death sentence, and the dread of what lies ahead and how you are going to share the news with your family can be overwhelming."

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and successfully underwent a single mastectomy in 2023 and has since used her platform to advocate for the importance of early cancer detection through screenings.

In January, the King's sister-in-law revealed that she was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, following a post-operative analysis of a mole removed during reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy.