King Charles Just Broke Major Royal Protocol & It’s Probably the Best Clip of Him We’ve Ever Seen

When we think of the royal family, our minds go to everything posh and proper. From curtsies to impeccable palaces and chic afternoon tea, the British royal family can be described as anything but warm and casual.

But, in a recent appearance from King Charles III, the sovereign proved that couldn’t be further from the truth when he shared a moment with members of the New Zealand women’s rugby team, the Black Ferns, at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

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In a clip shared by the team on Instagram, player Ayesha Leti-I’iga asks for a break in protocol. “We all wanted a hug, but only if that’s okay with you,” she said to the royal. Charles, for his part, didn’t hesitate to accept. “A hug? Why not!” he said.

Almost immediately, several team members huddled around Charles in a sweet group hug. Right in the middle of the hug, Charles hugged them back and smiled from ear to ear.

As they all parted, Charles’ smile continued to linger. “We didn’t mean to tackle you,” said one team member, per BBC. “It was like being flattened by a scrum,” he joked in return.

In the comments, fans of the royals are celebrating the wholesome moment. “This made me teary! Black Ferns smashing down hundreds of years of tradition and breaking barriers with one hug ??,” wrote one user. “Love love love.”

“Aww, I think King Charles actually wanted and needed this hug just as much!” wrote another user. “So so sweet!!”

“This is the best freaking thing about royalty I’ve ever seen!” another user echoed. “I love the Sisters embraced the patriarchal head of colonialism. And they LOVED it! I loved it. The second he said yes, THEY stacked on him. And most of all, his joy… that he LOVED it! Just so much #aroha in this clip.”

As a reminder, Charles is currently undergoing cancer treatment following his diagnosis in February. And while he’s surely getting the best treatment in the world, there’s nothing like TLC to help people heal.

“I much appreciated this chance to meet you and to have such a warm hug from most of you,” Charles said to the room after the hug.

“[It] made the whole difference,” he added, “very healing.”

We just hope he enjoyed the moment as much as we loved seeing it!

Before you go, click here to see all the best pictures from King Charles III’s coronation.

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