Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is set to make a grand return to Australia later this year.
The beloved royal, now 64, will be gracing Western Australia with her presence in October to participate as a special guest at the Festival of Fiction.
This exciting event is scheduled to take place on October 19 at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup, located in the northern part of Perth.
The Duchess, who has an impressive portfolio of over 55 books to her name, will undoubtedly bring a touch of royalty and literary charm to the festival.
Her body of work includes delightful children's books such as Ballerina Rosie and Tea for Ruby, as well as the widely cherished Little Red series. Moreover, her candid memoir, Finding Sarah, has resonated with many readers around the world.
The Festival of Fiction promises to be a vibrant celebration of literature, featuring some of Australia’s most acclaimed authors. It also offers a fantastic opportunity for aspiring writers to pitch their manuscripts, making it a must-attend event for literary enthusiasts.
© Pascal Le Segretain/amfARSarah's upcoming visit marks her return to Australia since her last trip in March, when she travelled to Melbourne for the first international edition of the Global Citizen NOW action summit.
Recently, she has been actively promoting her latest book, A Woman of Intrigue, which revolves around the captivating heroine, Lady Mary, set in the Victorian era.
© ShutterstockReflecting on her new literary work, Sarah shared on Instagram in April, "This book has meant so much to me and really speaks to my own hero's journey, becoming firm in this adventure as an author and learning so much from our brave heroine, Lady Mary. I hope she can inspire all of you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading and for taking part in the magic."
In addition to her literary endeavours, Sarah has also shown immense support and pride for her royal family members.
She recently expressed her admiration for King Charles and the Princess of Wales, who have courageously opened up about their cancer diagnoses. During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the Duchess shared her own recent experience with cancer and emphasized the importance of solidarity.
"I am so so proud of the King on becoming the royal patron of Cancer Research UK, getting out there and talking to all these people," Sarah said. "He gives everyone that wonderful feeling that they are being listened to. I thought it was very brave of him to do that. The lovely Princess Catherine doing the video was so brave. Family unity is an extraordinary thing, and I am honestly so proud. I am sending them lots of love and lots of support. We all need to rally together."
Opening up about her own battle with cancer, Sarah revealed she has found her "new normal." She candidly discussed the challenges she has faced and her determination to stay positive and proactive. "All these years I've been thinking, 'Am I good enough? Am I this, am I that? Do I get my finances right? Do I do this?' And actually suddenly now with a mastectomy and then with malignant melanoma, every single day, it's not a wake-up call, it's now a new normal."
© Taylor HillShe continued, "You can never say you're cancer-free, but you can say that I'm doing well, and I'm very lucky. But I really am determined. Honestly, 1.2 million mammograms are not being picked up. People are not going for their mammograms, they're not being tested. They need to be tested, they can be tested, and don't be frightened."
Sarah's journey with cancer began last June when she was diagnosed during a routine mammogram. She underwent a single mastectomy, and six months later, she had a mole removed that was found to be a malignant melanoma. She continues to have regular check-ups to monitor her health.
