‘It nearly killed me’: King Charles jokes with Sir Viv Richards about his cricket attempts

SOURCE AOL: King Charles shared a light-hearted moment about his Royal Navy days, quipping that playing cricket across the Caribbean islands “nearly killed” him.

The monarch’s jest came as he was presented with a signed cricket bat by legendary sportsman Sir Viv Richards.

The former West Indies captain handed over the gift at the annual Commonwealth Day reception held at St James’s Palace.

The event saw the King and Queen engage with ministers and dignitaries representing the 56 Commonwealth nations.

Adorned with the emblems of the West Indies cricket team, the bat also featured a reference to the 2026 biennial Commonwealth meeting, which is scheduled to take place in Antigua and Barbuda during the first week of November.

Presenting Charles with the bat, Sir Viv said: “As you know, we’re hosting the 56 nations in our region, so this is just a little gift to you.”

Asked by the King if it was a bat the former cricketer had used, Sir Viv laughed and replied that this one was “for show”.

When Camilla remarked on the bat’s inscription, “master blaster”, the highly revered batsman joked: “That’s what I’m locally called.”

The King told Sir Viv the gift reminded him of his time in the Royal Navy, in which he served from 1971-76, joking: “It reminds me of my attempts when I was in the Navy.

“We were playing cricket in each of those islands… it nearly killed me.”

Charles’s father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, was an avid cricket fan and, like his son, enjoyed playing the sport while serving in the Navy.

Accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the King and Queen greeted foreign as well as UK Commonwealth representatives, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel.

Earlier on Monday, Charles and Camilla attended the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, where Charles, as head of the Commonwealth, shared a message to its members.

Describing the family of nations as a “force for good”, the King spoke of its “enduring spirit” in the face of “conflict, climate change and rapid transformation”.

A large anti-monarchy protest took place opposite the abbey, with demonstrators holding “Not My King” and “Abolish The Monarchy” banners.

It comes amid calls to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession, a suggestion that has received backing from leaders of several Commonwealth nations, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, all of which would need to agree if an Act of Parliament were to go ahead.

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