It's official—a member of the royal family has joined TikTok.
On Wednesday, Oct. 16, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, revealed her new TikTok handle —aptly titled @sarahtheduchess—by sharing an emotional message detailing her 2023 breast cancer diagnosis.
In the video, Ferguson sits outside while facing the camera wearing a denim jacket over an aqua blue shirt. The video includes the words: "How it felt to be diagnosed with #breastcancer ❤️🩹" at the very top, setting the Duchess of York up to talk about her experience with the disease.
"Hollow feeling of, um total abject fear," Ferguson begins the video. "The drive from the Royal Free to Edward 7th Hospital was 40 minutes and I just couldn’t speak. I couldn’t speak. And it’s very interesting for me not to speak. I couldn’t express myself—I just shut down.
"I went back into the little girl. It was easier not to ask for support—just to deal with it—because that’s what I’m used to; that’s what I can do; that’s what I was taught," she continued. "And it’s only now I’m really proud of my scars. They’re really important."
@sarahtheduchess ♬ original sound - Sarah Ferguson (Fergie)
The royal went on to share that she "never thought that you could free the shackles of your heart by cancer."
"By learning what it is to be able to talk right now, right this second, about how it feels to ask for house, to surrender, and to realize that everything is going to be OK," she added," and you can find joy and you can not worry so much."
In June 2023, the Duchess of York announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Sarah, Duchess of York was recently diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer detected at a routine mammogram screening,” a representative for the Duchess told People at the time. “She was advised she needed to undergo surgery, which has taken place successfully.”
During a September 2023 episode of her podcast “Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah,” Ferguson opened up about her diagnosis and how it helped her stop comparing herself to the late Princess Diana.
“There are extraordinary moments…even what this mastectomy has done for me,” Ferguson said at the time. “Does it take to have something cut off, a body part cut off, in order for you to wake up? Not because of seeing death, but waking up to stop worrying, stop self-hatred, stop self-doubt, stop not liking yourself. Does it take that? Honestly, I think it was so lucky.”
Seven months after her breast cancer diagnosis, Ferguson was diagnoses with skin cancer.
"I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was," the A Most Intriguing Lady author wrote on Instagram the day after she revealed her second cancer diagnosis.
"Naturally another cancer diagnosis has been a shock but I’m in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support," she continued at the time. "I believe my experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, colour and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma and urge anyone who is reading this to be diligent."
