Former US President Jimmy Carter dies aged 100 - King Charles and President Joe Biden lead tributes

A former peanut farmer, Carter served one term as president between 1977 and 1981, being elected in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. He would go onto become a prominent humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

In a message to the American public, King Charles said that news of Crater’s death brought him “great sadness”, describing the former politician as a “committed public servant” who had “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”, He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977.

“My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also paid tribute to Carter’s “decades of selfless public service” and “lifelong dedication to peace”, saying: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.”

President Joe Biden led tributes in the US to the late 100-year-old. He described Carter as a “remarkable leader”, saying: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.

“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.”

Biden also declared that January 9 be designated as a national day of mourning, and order that flags be flown at half mast on all public and military buildings for a period of 30 days. This period will include the inauguration of the incoming President Trump.

Trump also posted a tribute to Carter on his social media site Truth Social. He said: “While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realised that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for.”