Britain's King Charles III on Saturday sent his "deepest possible sympathy" to the victims of a devastating earthquake which has killed over 1,000 people in Myanmar and Thailand.

Charles said in a statement on X that he and his wife Queen Camilla were "shocked and saddened to learn of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar".

Over 1,000 people have died from the quake in the military-ruled country, with at least 10 deaths also confirmed in Bangkok, after an earthquake and aftershock struck central Myanmar on Friday.

"I know people in Myanmar continue to endure so much hardship and tragedy in your lives, and I have long admired your extraordinary resilience and spirit," the 76-year-old British monarch said in a statement on X.

The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar in the early afternoon on Friday, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock.

The quake destroyed buildings, downed bridges, and buckled roads across swathes of the isolated state, which has made a rare plea for international aid.

While Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, used to be a British colony, it is not a member of the Commonwealth bloc of nations headed by Charles.

The king was briefly under observation in hospital on Thursday due to side-effects from cancer treatment.

However, Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, was seen waving to well-wishers on Friday.