• King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer and is already receiving treatment that will prevent him from undertaking public duties for the immediate future, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday evening.

• No further details about what type of cancer he has are being disclosed at this stage, but Buckingham Palace said it was not prostate cancer.

• The cancer was discovered when the 75-year-old recently underwent treatment at the London Clinic for a benign enlarged prostate.

• The king began regular outpatient treatments on Monday and although he has been forced to postpone public-facing engagements, he will continue with his constitutional role as head of state, including paperwork, his red boxes and private meetings.

• The king personally informed both his sons, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, of his diagnosis, as well as his three siblings, the Princess Royal, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Sussex.

• Prince Harry had spoken with his father about his cancer diagnosis and will be travelling to London to see him in the coming days, a source close to Harry told the PA news agency.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, gave a statement outside the annual church service to mark the start of the Australian parliamentary year:

All Australians will be sending their best wishes to King Charles for a speedy recovery. This is difficult news, and we hope for King Charles, for His Majesty, and for all of their family, all the very best. We want to see His Majesty return to full duties as soon as possible.

We of course look forward to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting held in our region. And of course, we have invited King Charles to visit Australia, and we sincerely hope that that is able to occur.

The palace has not disclosed what treatment Charles will be undergoing, only saying that he has begun “a schedule of regular treatments”.

This could involve: chemotherapy, when a medicine is used to kill cancer cells; radiotherapy, which utilises radiation to kill cancer cells; or targeted drugs that find and attack cancer cells.

It is understood that the king will be treated as an “outpatient”, which means that he will not have to stay in hospital while having treatment. However, under advice from his doctors, he will step back from public-facing duties. Officials said he will still be able to “undertake state business and official paperwork as usual”.

They added that the king “remains wholly positive about his treatment” and “looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible”. Maintaining a positive attitude will be crucial for him to cope with the news.

People with cancer are often encouraged to be positive but it is not always easy. Living with cancer and its treatment can be frightening. However, it is clear that the king hopes his diagnosis may raise greater awareness of the disease.

Buckingham Palace said he chose to share his cancer diagnosis to “prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer”.

Despite the fact that so many will develop the disease like Charles, not everyone is fully aware of the signs and symptoms.

They include changes in bowel habits, bloating, bleeding, lumps, moles, unexplained weight loss, indigestion or heartburn, itchy or yellow skin, tummy or back pain, and feeling tired or unwell.

Although it’s unlikely to be cancer, it’s important to speak to a GP about anything unusual so that they can investigate. The earlier cancer is found, the easier it is to treat.