The King found himself in the middle of a group hug from a rugby team.
During a reception at Buckingham Palace, New Zealand player Winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga asked to hug the monarch, to which the King replied: “A hug, why not?”
That was enough of a greenlight for the multiple Black Ferns players, who are in London to play against England’s Red Roses, to embrace the King for a group hug.
Pictures of the 75-year-old monarch, who in February revealed he had a form of cancer, showed him giggling as he found himself in the middle of an affectionate scrum.
The King later made the squad laugh during an impromptu speech, when he said: “I much appreciated this chance to meet you and have such a warm hug from most of you,” adding “very healing”.
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Details of his first major tour since his cancer diagnosis were released on Tuesday, with the King and his wife planning to travel to Australia and make a state visit to Samoa for a Commonwealth leaders’ summit.
An earlier plan to include a visit to New Zealand had to be cancelled “on doctor’s advice”, with “tough decisions” taken for the remainder of the trip, which will take place from 18-26 October.
The King expressed his sorrow at being unable to reach New Zealand and said: “I’m extremely sorry I can’t come to New Zealand in later October because of doctor’s orders, but I hope there’ll be another excuse [to come] before not too long.”
Pic: PA
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During the event, the monarch performed a hongi, a traditional Maori symbolic greeting of pressing of noses, with Allan Bunting, the Black Ferns’ head coach and director of rugby.
The players also performed a waiata, a traditional welcome song, after the King expressed his sympathy following the recent death of New Zealand’s Maori King Tuheitia.
He confessed to one group that he played in the second row during his rugby days at school and said he broke his nose playing the sport.
The King said: “It was the worst position, it was a bit dangerous sometimes.”
Source Agencies
