Sarah, Duchess of York is swapping royal life for ITV’s Loose Women as she helps to launch their breast cancer campaign, following her own diagnosis earlier this year

Sarah, Duchess of York will be swapping royal palaces for the ITV studios as she joins the Loose Women panel.

The Duchess will appear alongside regulars Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan and Brenda Edwards as she urges women across the nation to attend their mammograms. It comes just months after the royal, 64, underwent a mastectomy after having been diagnosed with breast cancer herself.

On Thursday, the former wife of Prince Andrew will make her debut on the programme and open up about her diagnosis for the first time. The Duchess will sit alongside Brenda who in 2016 was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, while Coleen’s older sister, Bernie Nolan, passed away from breast cancer.

Sarah, Duchess of York will be joining the Loose Women panel ( 
Image:
ITV)
Ahead of joining the programme which will air on Thursday, the Duchess said: “I almost missed the screening appointment that saved my life. I couldn’t face a journey into London on a hot day this summer and it was only my sister Jane’s insistence that I went, that persuaded me. My cancer was completely symptom-free – I never found a lump and did not feel ill. My experience underlines the vital importance of getting screened when you’re called in. It’s a matter of grave concern that 1.2 million mammogram appointments have been missed, according to the latest figures, many of them during the pandemic.

“I am proud to be supporting the campaign by Loose Women, backed by NHS England, to persuade women to catch up on missed appointments and to turn up when they are called in. Don’t skip your screening – it could save your life as it did mine.” It was confirmed in June by a representative for Sarah that she was delivered the news following a routine mammogram.

The Duchess will open up about her own breast cancer ordeal ( 
Image:
ITV)
Shortly after, she went under the knife and had a single mastectomy at the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, Central London, which was hailed as a “success”. Now, the mum to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie has revealed she has named her new breast ‘Kevin’ as it makes her laugh.

Having spent four days in intensive care following the surgery, Sarah said: “I’m taking this as a real gift to me to change my life, to nurture myself.” According to research and support charity Breast Cancer Now, Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK with 1 woman diagnosed every 10 minutes. Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK.

Loose Women has teamed up with Breast Cancer Now for their Don’t Skip Your Screening campaign, encouraging women to attend screenings and seek advice on any unusual changes that they discover on or around their breasts.

Sarah, Duchess of York, joins Loose Women on Thursday, November 2, from 12:30pm on ITV and ITVX.

Anyone looking for support or information can speak to Breast Cancer Now’s expert nurses via our free, confidential Helpline on 0808 800 6000.”