New Zealand woman rugby player asked King Charles for a hug, he surprised the whole team

The British Royal Family is one of the few remaining monarchies in the world. While their political power has diminished over the years, they are still more prominent in global discussions than other royal families. Their responsibilities now mostly revolve around ceremonial duties, public engagements, and the formal role of appointing the U.K. prime minister. At these events, they meet various prominent figures, but royal protocol generally prevents anyone from touching a member of the family unless they initiate the handshake or hug themselves.

During a recent ceremony, King Charles pleasantly surprised guests by embracing a spontaneous hug request from the New Zealand women's rugby team, the Black Ferns. The team was at Buckingham Palace’s Bow Room for a special reception hosted by the King. In a video shared by The Royal Family Channel, King Charles described the hug as “very healing.”

"Yeah, we all wanted a hug. But only if it's okay with you," winger Ayesha Leti-I'iga asked King Charles in the clip. Taken aback, the 75-year-old monarch humbly responded, "A hug? Why not!" Clad in their black sports uniform, the team went forward to greet the King with a warm embrace. A player who wasn’t present in the group at the time didn’t want to miss the chance and hence, approached him for a personal hug later. The team was in London for a match with the English team “Red Roses” at the Allianz Stadium, according to PEOPLE.

The hug was not only healing for both parties but was also an icebreaker for further interaction. After the event, King Charles jokingly said to the team that it was "like being flattened by a scrum," as per BBC. People across social media are swooning at the sweet gesture by him and the bold request from the women's squad. “Love how the Black Ferns broke the formalities with such a warm gesture. King Charles looked pleasantly surprised,” commented u/BoobsBlissfulBloom on a video of the royal hug shared in Reddit’s famous group r/MadeMeSmile.

“Break protocol? Why not. Probably the coolest thing he’s ever done,” commented u/littlekatie3, while u/criticallycandid reflected, “Imagine a world where most leaders would accept and give hugs. Where showing emotion or letting your guard down was acceptable and even rewarded. I hope I get to see that world someday!” u/bugsy_mccracken said, “I think that may be his first ever hug. He looks ruddy delighted.”

During this warmhearted reception, King Charles also expressed his regret to the Black Ferns as New Zealand had not been included in his overseas tour that he was going to take since his accession with Queen Camilla. "I'm extremely sorry I can't come to New Zealand in later October; it's on doctors' orders," he said, referring to his ongoing treatment for cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer in February this year. "But I hope there will be another excuse [to visit the country] before too long. In the meantime, give my love to New Zealand!"