Watch: King fist-bumps West Indies cricketer

The King is no stranger to delivering the odd fist bump in place of a handshake. And as he hosted the West Indies cricket team at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, he demonstrated his prowess by sharing a friendly “spud” with player Mikyle Louis.

The King was taught some Caribbean hand gestures and greetings, including a traditional handshake and the “spud”, courtesy of Louis and his elder brother, seam bowler Jeremiah Louis, who has also been called up for the Windies.

He appears to have enjoyed the engagement so much that his loyalties were torn ahead of the team’s first Test against England at Lord’s on Wednesday.

Afterwards, team captain Kraigg Brathwaite gave a mischievous smile as recalled his conversation with the monarch. “He said he would probably be supporting the West Indies and we’re very grateful,” he said.

The King, as head of the Commonwealth, was likely being diplomatic.

However, he revealed that he would like to see more young people take up the sport in England. “The King wished us good luck and I hope we put on a good show for the young people,” Jeremiah Louis said. “He told me he would like to see more youngsters playing cricket in England.”

While his father, Prince Philip, was an avid cricket fan, the King has not always displayed flair for the sport. Just this month, he joked with garden party guests about his poor performance on the cricket pitch when he was at school, while more recent attempts to show off his cricketing skills have had mixed results.

An attempt at batting, during a visit to the Glamorgan County Cricket Club in Cardiff in July 2021, saw him dissolve into giggles when he missed the ball. “I need to get my eye in!” he laughed, before successfully hitting the second ball to cheers and applause.

At the palace, the King expressed his gratitude on being presented with a West Indies team shirt signed by the players, although he indicated – while touching his back and grimacing – that he was a touch too old to wear it competitively.

The King referred to his long standing back pain, attributed to numerous falls from horses over the years while playing polo, as he chatted to the players. He was also keen to express his deep concern at the devastation wrought across the Caribbean by Hurricane Beryl.

As he passed along the line of players assembled in the newly restored East Wing, he asked them whether they had managed to make contact with their loved ones since Beryl washed over the islands with such ferocity, leaving thousands across the region without power and water.

The King, who has made a “substantial” donat

ion to the relief effort and spoke to the prime ministers of Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica on Friday, also asked them whether their homes and communities had been affected by the storm.

Team captain Kraigg Brathwaite said: “It was great to meet the King. I told him that the hurricane devastated the islands and caused a great deal of damage and now we’ve got even more to play for to make West Indians proud.

“I said that we want to bring some joy back and put a smile on their face. We want to give people something to cheer for. It’s the least we can do.”

He added of the forthcoming Test, which begins on Wednesday: “The history between the two teams goes way back and to be here, playing England, is great. I told His Majesty we were looking forward to the series. I never thought I’d meet the King and it’s good to be here talking to him.”

Jane Miller, the British High Commissioner for Guyana, who was also at the palace alongside her counterparts from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, said West Indians would be extremely proud to see their national team greeted by the King himself.

“Cricket is huge in the West Indies,” she said. “It’s the national sport and for the players to come here to Buckingham Palace and to be met and recognised by the King is wonderful for everyone back home.”