King Charles III has broken with royal tradition by sharing a group hug with members of the New Zealand women's rugby team at Buckingham Palace.
The monarch was visiting with the Black Ferns when player Ayesha Leti-I'iga asked if they could have a hug. Charles responded cheerfully, "A hug? Why not", leading to a warm embrace with the team.
The recent hug suggests a trend of increased informality within the Royal Family. Just days earlier, the Prince and Princess of Wales released an intimate video featuring hugs with their children and each other.
The footage, filmed during their summer break in Norfolk, showed William, Catherine, George, Charlotte and Louis in a relaxed family setting.
King Charles meets New Zealand's Black Ferns rugby union team at Buckingham Palace
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PAPrince Harry, in his 2023 memoir, recalled never hugging his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, stating it was "out of the question". Similarly, Meghan Markle expressed surprise at the formality within the royal household, noting her natural inclination as a "hugger" was at odds with British royal custom.
Author of Charles' biography "Our King" Robert Jobson told The Telegraph that the monarch has "always been a pretty good hugger, pretty relaxed about it". He added, "He [the King] is quite tactile and always has been. He's got a twinkle in his eye."
A palace source described Charles as "a genuinely warm and affectionate man who is not embarrassed to express that in a public way". They noted that his reign is characterised by "informal formality", a term coined by his private secretary Sir Clive Alderton.
This shift reflects a generational change, with the source explaining that hugging the late Queen would have "felt wrong to even attempt it" due to "generational respect."
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Meghan Markle previously expressed surprise at the formality
The Archewell FoundationThe King's hug with the rugby team has sparked emotional reactions from the public and on social media.
Many fans were moved to tears, with one TikTok user commenting, "Whyyyyyyy am I crying? he looks like he's been needing that for decades." Others noted the timing, with the hug occurring near the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's passing.
Some viewers suggested the King "really needed it", given the Royal Family's challenging year with both Charles and Kate undergoing cancer treatments.
The moment resonated deeply, with one fan writing, "He probably doesn't get hugged or even touched often. Such a simple human gesture to a man that has everything and look at the smile on his face. Priceless."
King Charles speaks to the Black Ferns team
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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”.
Nowadays, as in the later reign of Elizabeth II, visitors to castles and palaces are briefed on protocol – how to address the monarch and whether to bow or curtsy – but “no offence is taken”, says a source, if they choose not to.
