King Charles was all smiles as New Zealand’s Black Ferns warmly embraced him during a visit to Buckingham Palace. I
t started when winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga sweetly asked for a hug, to which the King cheerfully replied, “A hug, why not.” Laughter erupted as her teammates joined in, surrounding the 75-year-old monarch in a playful scrum.
Charles later entertained the team with an impromptu speech, joking, “I much appreciated this chance to meet you and receive such a warm hug from most of you—very healing.”
Royal fans were quick to express their delight on social media, with one commenting, “Aaaaw, that hug was really sweet! And King Charles’ bright smile is so good to see after all he’s been through this year.” Another added, “Loved the hug. King Charles looked genuinely delighted. What a lovely man!” A third fan wrote, “The hug was truly beautiful. You could see the joy on his face.”
The Black Ferns were in London ahead of their match against England’s Red Roses at Twickenham on Saturday. Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace released the itinerary for King Charles and Queen Camilla’s trip to Australia and Samoa from Friday, October 18, to Saturday, October 26.
However, the couple will not visit New Zealand. Charles explained to the rugby team, “I’m extremely sorry I can’t come to New Zealand later in October due to doctor’s orders, but I hope there’ll be another reason to visit soon.”
Since February, the King has been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. During the tour, he is set to meet with melanoma specialists, Professors Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer, to learn about their work on one of Australia’s most common cancers.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said, “There was hope earlier this year for Their Majesties to visit New Zealand. However, on doctor’s advice and after close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand governments, it wasn’t possible.”
They added, “We’ve had to make some difficult decisions regarding the programme with the Australian government on where Their Majesties can travel.”
