Royal news live: King Charles sends message to Australia as monarch arrives for first visit since cancer diagnosis

King Charles and Queen Camilla have touched down in “beautiful” Australia on the first day of their historic nine-day royal tour.

The visit, which is the couple’s first as king and queen, will celebrate Australia’s rich culture and heritage.

Their arrival in Sydney was celebrated with a spectacular light show that saw the Opera House poignantly lit up for four minutes with images from previous royal tours .

“Ahead of our first visit to Australia as King and Queen, we are really looking forward to returning to this beautiful country to celebrate the extraordinarily rich cultures and communities that make it so special,” the royals said in a joint statement.

“See you there! – Charles R & Camilla R.”

The statement was accompanied by archive footage from previous royal tours of the country.

As well as being Charles’s first time in Australia as monarch, the tour is his first overseas visit since being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

The king, 75, is said to be temporarily pausing his treatment for the occasion, but he is accompanied by two doctors as a precautionary measure.