Sarah Ferguson reveals mastectomy has helped her to get over years of self-hatred from constant comparisons to Princess Diana

Sarah Ferguson has revealed that her mastectomy helped overcome “years” of self-loathing as she stopped being compared to Princess Diana.

The Duchess of York, 63, revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and had a successful single mastectomy earlier this year at King Edward VII’s Hospital in London.

She has since been recuperating at home in Royal Lodge, Windsor, where she lives with her ex-husband, despite separating nearly thirty years ago.

In her latest episode of the first series of her Tea Talks podcast, she said, “Looking back, okay… I’ve got good legs and, you know, good looking and didn’t like myself and it was because I think that I was always compared to Diana and I think I ended up believing my own press, which, you know, isn’t very good.’

However, she said she found life after the surgery changed her stance, adding that she now “likes herself.”

The Duchess’s cancer nightmare began two months ago when a routine test revealed something was seriously wrong before the coronation.

In early May, Sarah went to London for a mammogram. Instead of the technician getting the “all-clear” signal as expected, he explained that a “shadow” could be seen in the chest.

Given the size of the area, a lumpectomy was ruled out and Sarah was strongly advised to proceed with a single mastectomy, which would eradicate the shadow of cancer cells across the breast.

Sarah would be devastated, but was determined to go through with a mastectomy as soon as possible, telling friends she had “no choice” but to go through with the surgery.

The Duchess underwent a major eight-hour operation while surgeons battled breast cancer.

During the conversation with her co-host Sarah Thomson, shared yesterday, she wondered if that was the case “cut off a body part to wake up?”

“Not from seeing death, but from waking up to stop worrying, to stop self-loathing, to stop doubting yourself, to stop doing all these things. Stop disliking yourself…”

After Sarah wondered if it had taken “that” to get into a more confident place, Fergie said, “Yes, it did in my case.”

During the podcast, Fergie said her self-esteem had transformed since her life after surgery

She said her self-esteem had changed since her life after surgery.

She explained, “You have a huge scar, but you love yourself….You love yourself very much.”

‘You have an office, you are just what you are, and… the last thing the Queen said to me was, of course, ‘Just be yourself, Sarah’.

And she saw it. She got so annoyed when I wasn’t myself. And that’s probably when I started all the pickles.

“But now I’m me and I’m so lucky to be myself.”

She continued, “I’m very lucky that my sister sent me for the mammogram because it saved my life.”

The Duchess also shared how she’d recovered since the surgery, saying her reconstructed breast “Derek” was doing “really well.”

She said she had started returning to a more active lifestyle over the summer, which included walking while on holiday in Scotland to keep in shape, because ‘at 63 you have to exercise.

Elsewhere, Fergie also spoke of meeting Prince Andrew when she was invited to Ascot by ‘best friend’ Diana.

Fergie and Diana met as teenagers and the pair were friends before they both entered the royal family, with Diana reportedly setting Fergie up with her former husband, Prince Andrew.

The Duchess explained that she was terrified that her dress would fall apart, but Andrew teased her saying it would have been “very rude” not to eat an éclair.

She also claimed it was “bullshit” for Diana to be interested in Andrew, adding: “Diana always got on very well with him and I say he is certainly the most beautiful prince.”

Instead of, she said she felt “the happiest person in the world” because she had become a princess when she married him.

She said, “I’m there and I’m still here and I’m still pinching myself and I still can’t believe I got to 63 to be in this extraordinarily happy place.”