King Charles delighted by hug from Black Ferns star
Joyful King Charles receives warm hug from Black Ferns star at palace
King Charles beamed with joy after receiving a warm hug from a rugby star.
At Buckingham Palace, he found himself amid New Zealand’s Black Ferns, who are visiting to compete against England’s Red Roses.
Winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga eagerly embraced him, leading to Charles being caught in a scrum.
The best part of this, is that King Charles loves affection and hugs, but he never believes anyone wants to hug him so it surprises him. But afterwards you can see he is so happy. This actually made me emotional thinking how he misses his mum and sad, then how he has been treated… pic.twitter.com/m6lfVoPreO
— Prince & Princess of Wales (@TribesBritannia) September 11, 2024
Amused, he remarked, “Hug, why not,” and later expressed his gratitude for the chance to meet and receive such a warm hug, calling it “very healing.”
While champagne was served at the reception, the athletes chose fruit juice and water, which Charles found humorous.
Jokingly, he said, “I’m so pleased to have this opportunity to greet you all, for a short moment – apparently not to be able to give you a drink.”
Charles also engaged in a hongi, a traditional Maori greeting involving the pressing of noses, with Allan Bunting, the Black Ferns’ head coach.
The players performed a waiata, a traditional welcome song, after Charles expressed his condolences for the recent passing of New Zealand’s Maori King Tuheitia.
This weekend, the New Zealand team will face their English rivals at Twickenham in a rematch of the 2022 Rugby World Cup final, which the New Zealanders won on home soil.
Charles shared with the group that he played in the second row during his school rugby days and recounted breaking his nose playing the sport.
He commented, “It was the worst position, it was a bit dangerous sometimes.”
When he inquired about their diet, one player humorously replied, “Do I look like someone who sticks to a diet?”
Charles, along with Queen Camilla, will begin their tour next month with a visit to Australia.
However, he will not travel to New Zealand due to medical advice and expressed his regret, saying, “I’m extremely sorry I can’t come to New Zealand later in October because of doctor’s orders, but I hope there’ll be another excuse to come before not too long.”
What Other Media Are Saying
- BBC News reports that King Charles III was surprised by a ‘very healing’ hug requested by a New Zealand women’s rugby player at a Buckingham Palace reception, remarking that it felt like being overwhelmed by a scrum.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why was King Charles grinning recently?
He received a massive hug from rugby star Ayesha Leti-I’iga.
Who are the Black Ferns?
They are the New Zealand women’s rugby team.
What traditional Maori greeting did Charles perform?
He performed a hongi with Allan Bunting.
Why did King Charles find it funny that the sportswomen drank fruit juice and water?
He joked about not being able to give them a drink.
Why is King Charles not traveling to New Zealand?
He can’t travel due to doctor’s orders.
