Watch: King fist-bumps West Indies cricketer

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.