The King welcomes the Black Ferns to Buckingham Palace

The Black Ferns are in London to play a test match against England’s Red Roses at Twickenham Stadium. The team first played the Red Roses in 1997 and they have since faced each other thirty one times, including World Cup matches. 

The King met the senior management officials from the New Zealand Rugby Union and England’s Rugby Football Union, before being introduced to the two Captains of the Black Ferns. 

The captains then introduced The King to the twenty-eight players and their support team, which includes doctors and therapists. The King also received an unexpected group hug!

After wishing the team good luck for their upcoming test, The King expressed his condolences following the death of Kiingi Tuheitia, the Māori King who reigned from 2006 to 2024. 

The team presented The King with a team polo shirt and a small wooden waka. 

To end the evening, the Black Ferns joined The King for a group photo.