County Durham monarchist tells King Charles to 'keep calm and carry on' after cancer diagnosis

• Katie Cole reports on the reaction in the North East to the King's diagnosis

A County Durham monarchist has vowed to send King Charles a get well soon card after his cancer diagnosis.

Monday's announcement was met with shock across the country with thousands flocking to send their best wishes to the monarch.

Among them has been Anita Atkinson from Weardale who has encouraged the King to "keep calm and carry on."

"I will be sending him a card," she told ITV Tyne Tees. "I sent one to Kate so I've got to send one to him.

"I'm going to send a message to him telling him to stay positive, stay strong and keep calm and carry on."

Ms Atkinson has followed every royal development throughout her life but Monday's announcement left her in shock. However, she has developed a more positive outlook overnight by remembering how her father approached the disease when he was diagnosed.

"I couldn't believe it," she said. "I was shocked and I was absolutely numb.

"I'm now more positive by drawing on my own experiences. My dad was diagnosed with cancer and I had the same feeling. You hear the 'c' word and you think that's it.

"But these days of course it isn't with all the advances in cancer treatment it is no longer a death sentence and you have got to be positive.

"I want everyone to send positive vibes to the King because that helps as well."

Elsewhere in the North East, it is hoped that the monarch's openness will help raise awareness and encourage others to talk about their own cancer diagnosis.

Karen Verrill who runs Maggie's cancer centre in Newcastle believes the announcement will help families come together.

"I think it is a very brave thing to make public something as personal as a cancer diagnosis," she said. "It's got to have done a lot of good in the country to make it open because there are so many people who experience a cancer diagnosis.

"Inevitably it is going to raise a lot of awareness to feel they can speak out about their own personal diagnosis and maybe help them to speak more openly to family and friends.

"It can be difficult to put into words to one's family how they actually do feel. We see people come through here and they are trying to protect their loved ones from their pain of the diagnosis.

"So hopefully it will bring families together more and open the conversations in a positive way to help people come together."

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