The Duchess of Rutland, who lives at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, has revealed that like the King and Princess of Wales, she received a shock cancer diagnosis last year
A Duchess has revealed she received a shock cancer diagnosis. Like King Charles and the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Rutland was told she had cancer last year. Her diagnosis of stage two breast cancer came after she found a lump, which she initially dismissed as “a pimple or cyst”.
But the 61-year-old, also known as Emma Manners, later had a biopsy and was diagnosed with cancer before having surgery to remove her left breast and radiotherapy treatment. And opening up about her health, she said: “Cancer is a hideous disease and the ultimate leveller. No one is immune – not the King of England, the Princess of Wales and certainly not me.”
The Duchess, who lives at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire and is separated from her husband David, the 11th Duke of Rutland, wrote in a personal story in The Telegraph: “Like everyone else who has ever found themselves sitting opposite a doctor being told ‘you have cancer’, I felt terrified.”
The mum-of-five says she has now overhauled her lifestyle focusing on her diet. She also says she does daily guided meditations to reduce her stress levels, enjoys walks in nature and also writes a diary. And now Emma, who is happy with new partner Phil, says she is “not taking anything for granted” now she is in remission. She added: “Now I’ve found my voice again – and I’ve a lot of living to do.”
Last year, King Charles revealed his cancer diagnosis in February and is still undergoing weekly treatment. Last week, he cancelled a busy away day in Birmingham on Friday to prioritise his recovery, after experiencing temporary side effects following treatment at the London Clinic, which required a short period of hospital observation that day.
Buckingham Palace has attempted to calm nerves surrounding the King’s admission to hospital, with royal sources describing it as “a bump in the road” and insisted Charles’ treatment was still “very much headed in the right direction”.
It is understood the overseas tour with the Queen from April 7-10 to Italy, which will see Charles become the first British sovereign to address both houses of the Italian parliament, is expected to go ahead as planned. He returned to his usual royal duties earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales received her cancer diagnosis last year following major abdominal surgery. She then embarked on a course of preventative chemotherapy, which he revealed she had completed in a personal video last summer. In January, following a visit to see cancer patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, Kate revealed she is now in remission.
Speaking at the time, she said: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.
“I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”