The Archbishop of Canterbury has praised the Princess of Wales for her “compassion and sense of service” in speaking out about her cancer diagnosis.

Justin Welby, who earlier this week had called for an end to the speculation about Kate as gossip and conspiracy theories swirled online, said his prayers were with her, the Prince of Wales and their children “at this tremendously difficult time”.

On Friday Kate, 42, confirmed she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy and told others battling the disease “you are not alone”.

The Archbishop, in a post on X formerly known as Twitter, said: “I join the whole country, and the world, in praying for her full recovery.

“I take this opportunity to praise her for her spirit of optimism in the face of such difficult news, and am pleased to hear that she is feeling stronger every day.

“Her bravery in sharing in this way and her continued commitment to supporting others speaks to her compassion and sense of service.

“Please join with me in praying for The Royal Family as they deal with this private matter and I would urge people to respect their privacy at this time.”

The Church of England also released “A prayer for HRH The Princess of Wales” in which hope was made for “her continued recovery” along with support for her family and “all who are affected by sickness”.