During a reception at Buckingham Palace, King Charles III surprises with a touching gesture towards a New Zealand female rugby team in public that was in England for a match against the local Red Roses.
In the event at the palace, the New Zealand player, Winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga, of the Black Ferns team, made an unusual request to give the monarch a hug, to which he responded, “A hug, why not?” surprising all those present who immediately turned to witness the moment.
As soon as they heard the monarch’s answer, the New Zealand players approached to surround King Charles III in a big group hug that, according to the royal himself, was “very healing“. This made the Black Ferns team very emotional, since they had made the monarch feel happy.
The ladies from New Zealand’s national rugby union team, the Black Ferns, asked King Charles for a hug & he complied! 🎥: Black Ferns pic.twitter.com/s2SuQ5xG5K
— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) September 14, 2024
In a sort of impromptu speech, the king let the Black Ferns know that their visit to the palace was gratifying for him: “I much appreciated this chance to meet you and have such a warm hug from most of you” and added, “I’m extremely sorry I can’t come to New Zealand in later October because of doctor’s orders“.
