LONDON, Sept 12 — King Charles III found himself in something of a royal scrum when he accepted a hug from the New Zealand women’s rugby team during a Buckingham Palace reception yesterday.

Charles laughed as he was affectionately mobbed by the Black Ferns, in Britain to take on England’s Red Roses, after he said "hug, why not”.

New Zealand wing Ayesha Leti-I’iga broke protocol to make the request and her team-mates joined in.

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”.

Details of Charles’s first major tour since his cancer diagnosis were released on Tuesday, with the King travelling to Australia and making a state visit to Samoa for a Commonwealth leaders’ summit.

But he will not travel to New Zealand, a country along with Britain and Australia where he is also the head of state.

"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,” he said.

Champagne was served for Charles’s guests but the rugby players opted for fruit juice and water, with the King joking: "I’m so pleased to have this opportunity to greet you all, for a short moment — apparently not to be able to give you a drink.”

During the event, the squad also performed a waiata — a traditional welcome song — after Charles expressed his sympathy following the recent death of New Zealand’s Maori King Tuheitia.

The Black Ferns will play the Red Roses at Twickenham on Saturday in a repeat of the 2022 World Cup final won by New Zealand in Auckland. — AFP