King Charles: Sandringham visitors hope for speedy recovery

King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer

People visiting the King's Norfolk home have shared concern for his health and sent good wishes after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Deborah Mountain, who was touring the Sandringham Estate, said the news had come as a shock "so soon after the Coronation".

"He's waited all his life to become King," said Mrs Mountain, of Ivybridge, Devon.

"It just brings it closer to home, that he's the same as one of us."

Her husband, Chris Mountain, a former Scots Guard, has served as a sentry outside Buckingham Palace.

He said of his visit to the Norfolk estate: "I just wanted to pay my respects and hope he gets a speedy recovery."

Chris and Deborah Mountain at Sandringham hoped the King would recover soon

The King left a private London hospital on 29 January after spending three nights there, following a corrective procedure for a benign prostate condition.

His cancer was discovered during that treatment.

The type has not been revealed, although the Palace confirmed it was not prostate cancer.

The King began "regular treatments" for the cancer on Monday, and would postpone public duties during it, Buckingham Palace said.

However, he would continue to carry out some royal administrative duties from home.

The King waved as he and Queen Camilla headed into church at Sandringham on Sunday

He had last been seen at Sandringham on Sunday, walking to St Mary Magdalene Church, with Queen Camilla, but returned there by helicopter on Tuesday afternoon.

The King was last on official duty in Norfolk in October, when he opened the new Priscilla Bacon Lodge hospice in Norwich.

David and Marilyn Morris said they were keeping their fingers crossed for His Majesty

David Morris, 78, of Aldwick, West Sussex, said he was "unsurprised" the King had decided to continue working in some capacity.

"He's been working all his life. I think it's a very positive message," he said.

His wife Marilyn, 71, said, "Hopefully he is going to be well; he'll get the best treatment and he'll get through it. We're keeping our fingers crossed for him."

King Charles's last official duty in Norfolk was in October at Pricilla Bacon Lodge in Norwich

Jane Hately and Marion Timbers advised the King to follow doctor's orders

Jane Hately and Marion Timbers live nearby in South Wootton.

Ms Hately was hoping doctors had "caught it [the cancer] in time".

"Think positive, do as the medics say, and hopefully you'll be back to normal," was her message to the King.

• Timeline: The King's health

Ms Timbers said: "Obviously we're all concerned. It's very sad as he's been king-in-waiting for an awfully long time."

She said the King's decision to make the news public was the right one.

"With one in two people likely to get cancer, I think it is important to speak about it," she said.

Joyce Wright is hoping the King makes a speedy recovery

Meanwhile, Joyce Wright, who also lives locally, in Dersingham, said she had seen the King on numerous occasions while walking her dog on the estate.

The news had come as "a bit of a shock" for her.

"I usually come on Christmas morning and see the Royals as they walk to church," she said.

"We knew he had the [enlarged] prostate, but didn't expect the cancer to be somewhere else."

She hoped the King would "hurry up and get well soon".