India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams were recently hosted by King Charles III at St. James’s Palace in London — a special moment on the sidelines of their ongoing tours of England. The occasion, as revealed in an interview with ANI by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, was both historic and deeply personal, as the monarch surprised players and officials alike with his detailed knowledge and compassion.
“It was a very historic occasion that both our men’s and women’s teams were invited today by King Charles and met them very well in the Palace,” Rajeev Shukla told ANI.
#TeamIndia meets His Majesty in London!
P.S. Idris Elba stopped by to say Hello 👋@RoyalFamily pic.twitter.com/D8CWbPh3sn
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 16, 2025
King Charles shows empathy for Akash Deep’s family
One of the most emotional moments of the royal interaction came when King Charles personally inquired about fast bowler Akash Deep’s sister, who is undergoing cancer treatment. His awareness of the situation left a deep impression on the team and BCCI officials.
“He also asked about Akash Deep’s sister’s illness. He had found out so many details. He sounded like a gentleman, and it did not seem we were talking to the King of England. There is a lot of humility in him and the team is very happy to meet him,” Shukla said.
Akash Deep had earlier dedicated India’s Edgbaston Test win to his sister, Akhand Jyoti Singh. Speaking in an exclusive interview with India Today’s sister channel, Aaj Tak, Jyoti opened up about her condition and the inspiration she draws from her brother’s on-field heroics.
“It is a matter of pride for India – he has taken 10 wickets. Before the England tour, we went to meet him at the airport. I told him, ‘I’m absolutely fine, don’t worry about me, just do well for the country.’ I am in the third stage (of cancer), and the doctor has said the treatment will go on for six more months, after which we’ll see.”
“It makes me very happy when Akash takes wickets. Whenever he gets a wicket, all of us start clapping and cheering so loudly that the neighbours in the colony ask what has happened!”
Siraj’s heartbreak at Lord’s also caught the King’s attention
The King also offered words of consolation for Mohammed Siraj, who was visibly emotional after being bowled out in a tight 22-run defeat during the Lord’s Test — a moment that seemingly stuck with the monarch.
“Even he noticed this fact. If we had another regular batter on the field, then we could have won easily. Our team has proven that our experiment is well done (to send a young team), as part of which we have sent a new team because we are looking forward to the future. The team has proven itself to be a fighter unit. We almost won here. We did well at Leeds. Our team is competing with England equally and will win the series as two matches are still left,” Shukla added.
Shubman Gill, Bumrah, Pant and others enjoy royal interaction
King Charles spent time with several members of the men’s squad, including Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, and others. Gill recounted his interaction with the monarch and the discussion about India’s close loss at Lord’s.
“It was amazing. I think he was very kind and generous to be able to call us here, and it was a pleasure meeting the king, and we had some really good conversations,” Gill told reporters.
“Yes, he did tell us that the way our last batsman got out was quite unfortunate. The ball was rolling on the stumps, and he was just asking us how we felt after that, and we told him it was an unfortunate match for us. It could have gone either way, but hopefully we’ll have better luck in the next games.”
When King Charles mentioned the dismissal that ended India’s chase, Gill replied simply:
“It’s a game of cricket.”
India Women’s team meets the King for the first time
India’s women’s team, who recently clinched a 3-2 T20I series win over England, were also part of the royal visit. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and head coach Amol Muzumdar spoke about the moment.
“It was a very nice experience. We came to England so many times, but this was our first time when we met him, and he was very friendly. He asked us, like, how the travel was and all, and it was really nice to meet him,” Harmanpreet told reporters.
“Definitely, we have been playing good cricket, and I think with that we are getting a lot of opportunity to express ourselves, so really happy the way things are moving on.”
Head coach Amol Muzumdar added:
“It’s been a very humbling experience coming here to the royal house and meeting the king. It’s been the first time, so we came all the way from Southampton, but it was really worth it, and the girls were really excited about this visit, and we are pleased that we are here,” Amol told reporters.
A royal morale boost ahead of the next Test
The gathering at St. James’s Palace offered more than a photo opportunity — it was a moment of reflection, connection, and motivation. With two Tests remaining in the five-match series, Team India will now look to carry forward this royal encouragement into the final stretch of their England tour.
