24 January 2024 , 17:00
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Brave Fergie was all smiles today as she waved to royal fans who wished her well following her skin cancer diagnosis – and even issued a four-word update.
Sarah Ferguson today visited her dermatologist at the King William VII hospital in Marylebone, as she continues to recuperate from malignant melanoma.
The smiling Duchess of York said “I’m fine, thank you”, when asked by fans how she was doing outside the hospital following her appointment. Wearing a navy blue blazer, matching skirt, black tights and loafers, Fergie stopped to chat with locals before being driven off by a driver.
Fergie broke the news of her shock diagnosis last week, just six months after her breast cancer battle. Prince Andrew’s ex-wife had to undergo an eight-hour operation last July to remove one of her breasts after doctors discovered the disease in a routine mammogram which she nearly missed.
Fergie appeared in good spirits on Wednesday (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)
The Duchess was at the private Marylebone hospital for an hour (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)But plucky Fergie has already vowed to “distress into a positive” after doctors told her she was suffering from the most serious form of skin cancer after biopsies were taken from moles last year.
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The 64-year-old grandma posted her first message since her diagnosis this week on Instagram, saying she was "incredibly thankful" to her medical team and was now resting at home with her family. She added how she continues to be in "good spirits" despite the setback and was “grateful for the many messages of love and support".
A close friend said: “She is simply amazing, always looking for the positive in any situation and rarely thinking of herself. She is going to beat this disease, just like she faced down her breast cancer diagnosis, with bravery and good humour and working out a way she can use her experience to help others.”
The duchess received the news shortly after Christmas, which she spent with the royal family, including the King and Queen, at Sandringham in Norfolk.
The Duchess has already revealed to friends how she will pledge her time and profile to spur thousands of others to get checked before it is too late and in turn honour her close friend who died from the disease. Fergie’s friend Carolyn Cotterell, who she used to live with before her marriage to Prince Andrew in 1986, tragically died from skin cancer in 1999.
The duchess has tearfully discussed her friend’s tragic plight with her family previously and vowed to do more to raise awareness of the disease, a source said. Her father, Major Ronald Ferguson, was also diagnosed with skin cancer just months before his death from a heart attack in March 2003.
The Duchess' health issues were announced in the same week it was revealed both King Charles and the Princess of Wales were undergoing treatment for their own health concerns. Kensington Palace shared in a statement last week that Kate had had abdominal surgery and would be off from royal duties until after Easter.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace separately released a statement to say the King would be undergoing a "corrective procedure" on an enlarged prostate later this week. Queen Camilla told well-wishers her husband was "fine" while at an engagement in Swindon on Monday.