Sarah Ferguson news: Duchess of York diagnosed with malignant melanoma

King Charles appears to have missed the weekly church service in Sandringham amid his ongoing health scare.

Charles usually attends the service every week but crowds gathered today noticed his absence as he prepares for a planned operation for an enlarged prostate next week.

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer, just months after she was treated for breast cancer.

The duchess underwent an eight-hour mastectomy in July last year – but during follow-up surgery last month, dermatologists removed several moles, finding one to be malignant melanoma.

Despite the diagnosis, the 64-year-old is said to be in “good spirits” as she faces further tests to discover if the cancer has spread to other parts of her body.

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Prince Harry may not have been informed about King Charle’s enlarged prostate before the news was announced to the public, say the Telegraph.

The announcement was made in the UK at 3.25pm which is 7.25am in the Duke of Sussex’s Californian home, and the Prince may have been informed via a news alert, the paper understands.

It was early in the morning for Prince Harry when the announcement was made so he could have missed direct messages, report the Telegraph.

The royals informed all the senior members of the Royal family, including Prince Harry, before broadcasting the news, say the publication.

The publication reached out to the palace and the Sussex’s who declined to comment.

With the King due in hospital next week for corrective treatment for his benign condition and William – the next in line to the throne – and Kate out of action for the immediate future, Charles’s slimmed down monarchy – with three of the most senior royals missing – has been put under pressure in a way not seen before during his reign.

Joe Little, of Majesty magazine, said the health troubles have compounded the problem facing the small band of working royals.

Mr Little said: “The working members of the royal family have been under pressure to maintain the level of engagements undertaken by a much larger team in years gone by.

“Suddenly removing three of the most senior players because of health issues compounds the problem considerably, but at least the King will be out of action for only a relatively short period.”

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The Queen is still carrying out engagements, joining the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra as the current working monarchy – with the latter two appearing increasingly frail in recent years.

The Princess of Wales has been sent warm wishes for a speedy recovery by the family of an inspirational child fundraiser who urged her not to try to be “superwoman” and rush back to work too soon.

Double amputee Tony Hudgell, nine, who counts Kate as a “number one supporter”, became the youngest person to feature in the New Year Honours when he was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the prevention of child abuse.

The youngster from Kent, has raised more than £1.8 million for charity since he was five, including £500,000 that went to a children’s surgery unit officially opened by Kate last month.

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Speaking as a male d’un certain âge, and an enthusiastic hypochondriac, I was disturbed by news about the King’s health. I was equally delighted to learn that our 75-year-old sovereign will soon be happy and glorious again, as he will undergo treatment next week for benign prostate enlargement (BPE).

Though troublesome, BPE is an entirely natural phenomenon, affecting the waterworks of 60 per cent of men over the age of 60. It is not usually a serious threat to health, nor a fatal one. So I do feel a little sorry for the nation’s hard-pressed GPs who, thanks to the royal spotlight, will soon be requested to make fundamental assessments of thousands of worried older gentlemen.

It is greatly to the King’s credit that he’s allowed his prostate to “come out”, so to speak. Chaps should be able to speak freely about their waterworks and feel no shame about seeking medical advice. ’Twas not always thus with this condition.

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Kate, 42, was admitted to The London Clinic on Tuesday for the planned procedure, Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday.

The future Queen is expected to remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days before returning home to continue her recovery.

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The Princess of Wales is spending her fifth day in hospital recovering from a successful abdominal surgery in the London Clinic.

She is said to be “doing well” but will remain in the exclusive clinic for between 10 to 14 days, and is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter.

As a result, the future Queen will be forced to sit out of some of the events she usually shows support for including Children’s Mental Health Week, The BAFTAs and the Commonwealth Day service.

Princess Kate will also likely be missing the Easter church service at Windsor.

Sarah Ferguson is understood to be recovering at home surrounded by family, after undergoing treatment at the MAYRLIFE clinic in Austria.

The 64-year-old currently resides at the Royal Lodge with her former husband Prince Andrew, who has since stepped down from royal duties.

She was last seen with the royal family on Christmas Day during the annual church service at Sandringham.

Melanoma skin cancer can spread to other parts of the body, according to the NHS website.

Its “main cause” is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds.

Symptoms include having a new mole or changes to an existing one.

If a mole is larger than normal, has an uneven shape or is a mix of colours it could be a sign someone has the condition.

Surgery is the main treatment for malignant melanoma, especially if it is found early, but advanced melanoma can be hard to treat.