LOCALS in the King’s favourite Scots village told of their shock at his illness.
Residents in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, vowed to offer him support, as he did to them when their homes were destroyed by floods in 2015.
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Anne Whitson, 75, said: “He helped us get back on our feet after Storm Frank. I’ve got no idea what the village would have done without him.
“This has just come totally out of the blue. He’s one of those people that you think would just go on forever. Almost like he’s invincible.
“Everyone here just wishes him well. He is very popular in this part of the world.”
The King has visited Ballater for years because it’s close to royal holiday retreat Balmoral.
Almost all the local shops have royal warrants because they supply goods and services to the estate.
John Sinclair, 58, is the co-owner of HM Sheridan Butchers, which has a long connection with the royal family.
He said: “It’s really sad news. But with the forward thinking way that the King has got I’m sure he’ll fight this. He’s a very strong character.
“I hope he makes a quick recovery and that this encourages other people to go to their doctor and get help.”
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The King last visited Balmoral in January and would have been expected to return in Easter.
Alistair Cassie ran a hardware shop in Ballater and was a repair man, who helped fix the Queen’s TV.
He’s met the King many times and had a long chat with him when they met last year.
Alistair, 78, said: “It’s quite a surprise.
“It’s really quite sad. It just shows that this kind of trouble can affect anybody.”
The gates of Balmoral were shut as the castle was closed to the public. It’s only open during select dates in winter.
But visitors were still turning up to get snaps of the famous gates.
Sabrina Hill, 47, from Bristol, was up on holiday with husband Lee. She said: “It came as a real shock to us. He’s got good people around him so I hope he beats it.”
The King is in the thoughts of parishioners near Balmoral following his cancer diagnosis, the minister of Crathie Kirk has said.
Rev Ken MacKenzie said that the King is “very well known and liked” in the community and that people were saddened to hear of his illness.
Rev Ken MacKenzie, minister of the Parish of Braemar and Crathie in Aberdeenshire and a Domestic Chaplain to the King, said people are sending Charles their best wishes.
He said: “His Majesty the King is very well known and liked in this community and in common with many people across the UK and the Commonwealth, we were sad to hear that he has been diagnosed with cancer.
“Many people in the parish have got to know the King over many years and are concerned for him.
“We are glad that his treatment is underway and hope and pray that all will be well with him.
“King Charles lives a busy life and I hope that he enjoys a quieter time over the coming months while he recuperates.
“All of us want to pass on our very best wishes and assure him that we are holding him in our prayers as well as other members of the royal family.
“They have been through a lot during the last two years and we wish them God’s peace.”
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Mr MacKenzie commended the King for being open with the public about his diagnosis.
He said: “Speaking out this way is a gracious and humble thing to do, hats off to him and I am sure it will prove to be very helpful to other people.”