Sarah Ferguson on Queen Elizabeth II: ‘Being Yourself is Enough’

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, recently revealed in an interview with Hello! magazine that Queen Elizabeth II was one of the few people who truly understood and appreciated her personality. Ferguson, 64, shared that the late monarch’s encouragement inspired her to embrace her true self.

“One of the only people who saw me properly was the Queen and before she died, she said: ‘Sarah, being yourself is enough,'” Ferguson recounted. For much of her life, Ferguson had kept her vibrant personality subdued, fearing her exuberance might be off-putting. She recalled her father labeling her as “a bore” and her own worries about being “too much.” However, Queen Elizabeth’s words, coupled with Ferguson’s recent health battles, have helped her overcome these self-imposed limitations.

“I haven’t shown my huge personality properly, because I’ve tried to keep it under the cushion,” Ferguson admitted. “Now I’m just not excusing myself anymore.” Last June, Ferguson confirmed a diagnosis of breast cancer and revealed she had also been diagnosed with skin cancer in January. These diagnoses served as a wake-up call, prompting her to live more freely. “I think it woke me up,” she explained. “It gave me a swift kick in the butt and told me: ‘Right, are you going to start living now, at 64, or are you going to keep on not quite living?’ You don’t have to be what everyone wants you to be: just be yourself.”

Following a mastectomy in December, Ferguson’s daughter, Princess Beatrice, announced in May that her mother was “all in the clear.” Despite divorcing Prince Andrew in 1996, Ferguson has continued to live in royal residences, often sharing a home with her ex-husband. She has also publicly supported other royals facing health challenges, such as Princess Kate Middleton and King Charles III. “All my thoughts and prayers are with the Princess of Wales as she starts her treatment,” Ferguson shared on Instagram on March 25. “I know she will be surrounded by the love of her family and everyone is praying for the best outcome.”

In her interview, Ferguson also emphasized the importance of preventative cancer screenings. “I really don’t want people to go through what the past year has meant to me, mentally as well as physically,” she said. “I want readers to think: ‘I mustn’t wait, I must get screened.’”

Sarah Ferguson’s journey of self-acceptance and advocacy serves as an inspiration, reminding us all of the importance of being true to oneself and the critical role of health awareness.