Even kings love to cuddle.

Prince Charles met with rugby players at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, September 11, much to the delight of royal fans.

Ayesha Leti Iiga of the New Zealand rugby union Black Ferns said in a video shared by the royal family on Instagram, “Yeah, we all wanted a hug.”

“Hugs?” the king asked, adding, “Why not!”

The women squealed and laughed as they jumped in for a hug, and a beaming Prince Charles seemed equally impressed by their sweet gesture.

“They flattened me with a scrum!” he joked after they hugged each other.

They then offered separate hugs to the other women on the team, who were visiting the palace before their match against England's Red Rose.

The team shared another charming video recounting their visit, and after one player greeted the King with a “Sup, G?” the monarch revealed that he too had once played rugby.

“Unfortunately, I broke my nose,” he said with a chuckle.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to meet you all and to receive warm hugs from you,” he said after the Black Ferns performed a traditional song.

“I've become a fan of King Charles ......” Some accounts commented on the video, while other fans wrote, “Good luck NZ! How refreshing to see King Charles so happy and relaxed, big NZ hugs are just what the doctor ordered🤍🤗🤗.”

While group hugs may not have been the royal norm during Queen Elizabeth's reign, the King's response to the Black Ferns indicates a more relaxed approach to dealing with the public, and a desire to make his own rules.

However, this is not the first time Prince Charles has given a hug to a New Zealander (or to a member of the public); during a visit to Auckland in 2012, he gave a woman visiting a sports training facility a big hug.

And while Queen Elizabeth preferred a formal handshake, younger members of the royal family, such as Kate Middleton and Prince William, are often seen hugging fans, especially children.

Unfortunately, the King will not be visiting the Black Ferns in New Zealand after his upcoming tour of Australia, but we hope to see more group hugs in the future.