King and Fergie 'bond over battles with cancer' as Charles and Andrew's ex both fight the disease
9 February 2024, 23:19 | Updated: 9 February 2024, 23:23
King Charles and Sarah Ferguson have been trading heartfelt letters after their joint cancer diagnoses - as the monarch and his brother's ex-wife bond over their fight with the illness.
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The 75-year-old monarch and the Duchess of York have both been diagnosed with forms of cancer in recent weeks.
Sarah Ferguson, 64, was diagnosed first with breast cancer last year, and then latterly with skin cancer in recent months.
Read More: Prince Harry urged to call royals as King Charles and Kate Middleton face hospital spells
King Charles announced that his doctors had found a form of cancer in him during a routine operation to treat a benign, enlarged prostate last week.
The pair have exchanged letters over their fight with the disease - Charles wrote to Fergie twice regarding both her diagnoses with the Duchess of York returning the favour when he was diagnosed.
He said to be "wholly positive" the prognosis despite the worry that has been caused to the public over his health news.
The King started a treatment this week - after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told MPs that the King's cancer was caught early.
A source told The Mirror: “The King and Sarah are incredibly fond of one another and now they have bonded over their respective cancer diagnosis with an exchange of letters.
"Cancer is a wicked disease that affects so many individuals and their families and it’s clear that extra support from loved ones and the extended cancer community can help immeasurably.”
At a cancer charity fundraiser Fergie this week urged Charles to “keep fighting on” when she took to the stage.
The Duchess added: “I want to thank you all for your kindness in supporting my family members who are going through a hard time, and we wish everyone well, every family in the world, that has been diagnosed or who is going through a difficult time, we wish them well.
And of course, my brother-in-law, we wish you well, keep fighting on.”
The Duchess concluded: “The cancer alliance is about hope, and there isn’t enough hope in the world. For anyone who’s suffering from low hope, for anyone who believes they can’t do this, they can, it’s absolute nonsense.”
