Foreign leaders send well wishes after King Charles diagnosed with cancer

News of the British monarch's condition has prompted messages of support from around the world

A photo released by Buckingham Palace as they announced that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer. All Photos: Getty Images unless stated

King Charles attends the Sunday service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in January

King Charles and Queen Camilla leaving The London Clinic in January. The King had been receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate.

King Charles delivers his Christmas message at Buckingham Palace in December 2023

King Charles delivers an address at the opening ceremony of the Cop28 Summit in December 2023 in Dubai

King Charles and Prince William attend the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in November 2023 in London

King Charles and Queen Camilla at the State Opening of Parliament in November 2023

King Charles waters and plants a tree watched by President of Kenya, William Ruto in October 2023 in Nairobi

King Charles and US President Joe Biden review a guard of honour at Windsor Castle in July 2023

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, King Charles and Queen Camilla during the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, in July 2023

King Charles and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, after his coronation. PA

King Charles, carrying the Sovereign's Orb and Sceptre, leaves Westminster Abbey after the Coronation in May 2023. AFP

King Charles III is crowned with St Edward's Crown by The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey in May 2023. PA

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, centre, with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender during the king's state visit in March 2023

King Charles and Camilla during a visit to the Bangladeshi community of Brick Lane, London, in February 2023

King Charles welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the leader of the Conservative Party to form a new government in October 2022

King Charles during the recording of his first Christmas broadcast at Windsor Castle in December 2022

King Charles follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth as it is carried from Westminster Abbey after her state funeral. AP

King Charles holds a vigil beside the coffin of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, as it lies in state on the catafalque in Westminster Hall. PA

King Charles greets members of the public as he walks by the gates of Buckingham Palace after the death of Queen Elizabeth. AP

King Charles shakes hands with British Prime Minister Liz Truss during their first audience at Buckingham Palace

King Charles III delivers his address to the nation and the Commonwealth from Buckingham Palace after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022

Prince Charles with Camilla and Prince William during the ceremonial state opening of parliament at the Palace of Westminster in 2022

Prince Charles and Camilla on a visit to Giza in Egypt in 2021

Prince Charles joined members of the British Asian Trust for a short bicycle ride as they launched the charity's Palaces on Wheels cycling event at Highgrove in 2021

Prince Charles walks behind the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin during the funeral of Prince Philip in 2021

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles during the state opening of parliament at the Palace of Westminster, London, in 2019

Prince Charles, Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry arrive for a Christmas Day church service on the Sandringham estate in December 2018

Prince Charles leads Meghan Markle up the aisle during her wedding to Prince Harry in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2018

Prince Charles and Camilla attend a dinner hosted by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, in Amsterdam in 2013

Prince Charles and Harry in front of an Apache helicopter at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, 2011

Queen Elizabeth presents Prince Charles with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour at the Chelsea Flower Show, west London, in 2009

An official portrait to mark Prince Charles's 60th birthday in 2008

Prince Charles and his new bride Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle after their wedding in April 2005

Charles with his sons William and Harry on a ski break at Klosters in Switzerland in 2005

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles in Avignon during a state visit to France in 1972

Prince Charles learns a soul dance routine at St George's Secondary School in Maida Vale, west London, in 1978

Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles follow the coffin of Princess Diana at her funeral in London in September 1997

Diana and Prince Charles pose with their sons, Princes William and Harry, on Prince William's first day at Eton College in 1995

Prince Charles and Diana on a visit to Nottingham in 1985

Diana and Prince Charles with Prince Harry leave St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, west London, in 1984

Prince Charles and his wife Diana with their baby son, Prince William, at home in Kensington Palace in 1983

Prince Charles and Diana with son William in 1983

Prince Charles and Diana on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day in 1981

Prince Charles at a polo event in Windsor Great Park, accompanied by the queen and Prince Edward, in 1971

Prince Charles leaving Caernarfon Castle after his investiture as Prince of Wales, in Gwynedd, 1969

Prince Charles during a tour of Wales in 1969

Prince Charles playing cricket in 1968. He was playing for Lord Brabourne against a team of Grand Prix racing drivers.

Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Windsor Great Park in 1968

Prince Charles at the University of Cambridge in 1967, where he was beginning his term at Trinity College

Queen Elizabeth and her family travel to Sandringham in 1966. Prince Andrew is on her lap, the Duke of Edinburgh to her left with Princess Anne on his lap, and Prince Charles, right

Prince Charles, walking a Corgi, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and their nanny Mabel Anderson at Euston Station, London, in 1963

US President Dwight D Eisenhower, centre, with the British royal family, left to right, Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, at Balmoral Castle in 1959

Queen Elizabeth watches her son Prince Charles driving a toy car in the grounds of Balmoral Castle in 1952

A young Prince Charles is perched on the lap of his father the Duke of Edinburgh, while his mother Queen Elizabeth II looks on in the grounds of Windlesham Moor in 1949

US President Joe Biden said he was “concerned” about King Charles III's cancer diagnosis, as foreign leaders wished the UK monarch a swift recovery.

Well-wishers have gathered outside Buckingham Palace in central London after the diagnosis as world leaders passed on their own good will messages.

Mr Biden, the Democrat leader who is six years older than the king, was asked by reporters whether he had a message for King Charles during a visit to Las Vegas.

“I’m concerned about him. Just heard about his diagnosis,” he said.

“I’ll be talking to him, God willing.”

Mr Biden later tweeted: “Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship takes hope and absolute courage.

“Jill and I join the people of the United Kingdom in praying that His Majesty experiences a swift and full recovery.”

The leaders of a number of Commonwealth countries sent messages to London, including Australia, the Bahamas and Barbados.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has wished King Charles a swift recovery.

“Australians know that His Majesty King Charles has always reached out to us in our country’s toughest moments, showing kindness and care for those doing it tough,” Mr Albanese wrote on X.

“All of us are thinking of him and his family in this very hard time.

“We wish him well for a speedy recovery.”

The leaders of a number of Commonwealth countries sent messages to London, including Australia, the Bahamas and Barbados.

Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis said the king was “shining a light on “a challenge faced by many around the world”.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon offered his best wishes using the Maori phrase “kia kaha King Charles” – stay strong King Charles.

Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, offered her “best wishes to Queen Camilla and the rest of the royal family”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also offered his best wishes.

“I, like Canadians across the country and people around the world, am thinking of His Majesty King Charles III as he undergoes treatment for cancer,” Mr Trudeau tweeted.

“We’re sending him our very best wishes – and hoping for a fast and full recovery.”

Canada is one of the 14 Commonwealth nations where the king is head of state.

Former US president Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican party nomination ahead of the 2024 elections, posted on the Truth Social platform: “King Charles has cancer.

“He is a wonderful man, who I got to know well during my presidency, and we all pray that he has a fast and full recovery.”

French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X: “Wishing His Majesty King Charles III a speedy recovery.

“Our thoughts are with the British people. Amities.”

Tourists and locals outside Buckingham Palace spoke of their sadness after hearing the news.

Lisa Nash, 61, said she wished Charles well and added that the royal family does “a lot for this country”.

She said: “My thoughts are with him and to go through something like cancer but in the public eye is pretty something, so I'm pleased that he's given people snippets of information but I'm quite glad that he's going to keep the rest of it private.

“I think for his own peace of mind, he needs to be doing that, it's enough of a struggle as it is but I wish him well and I'm sure he'll pull through and things will be fine.”