Royal followers reward Princess Anne for her ‘brilliance’ as she FINALLY hugs Scottish rugby captain
Royal fans have praised Princess Anne for her ‘brilliance’ as she finally granted the Scots Rugby captain a long-awaited hug – having dodged his previous attempts.
The Princess Royal, who is patron of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), was captured warmly embracing Sione Tuipulotu following Scotland’s final Six Nations fixture against Ireland on March 14.
In response to the sweet clip, royal fans took to X in their masses to praise Anne for being ‘so human and brilliant’, with one user adding: ‘She seems like such a down-to-earth royal’.
‘He’ll cherish that hug,’ noted one commenter and remarked: ‘Anne looks really happy.’
‘Honestly who doesn’t love Princess Anne,’ added another, while one onlooker fondly described the Princess Royal as a ‘great ambassador of Scottish Rugby’.
The heartwarming moment shared between the unlikely pair came after the esteemed sportsman, 29, made a failed attempt to hug Anne following the nation’s victory against England last month.
When Anne, 75, went to present the trophy to Mr Tuipulotu, he appeared to try and give her a brief hug. However, the princess stepped back and instead placed her hand on his shoulder before engaging in jovial conversation with the rugby player.
Then, a few weeks later, Anne and the rugby player shared a humorous moment when the princess handed him the Auld Alliance Trophy following their win against France.
In a lighthearted reference to their previous near-hug moment, they both mirrored each other by opening their arms in jest – delighting royal fans who praised Anne’s ‘fun’ and ‘wonderful’ nature.
Yet for Scotland’s final match of the tournament, Anne momentarily put royal protocol to one side – with Scottish Rugby sharing ‘lovely’ footage of the pair warmly embracing following their match against Ireland.
The Princess Royal, who is patron of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), was captured finally warmly embracing Sione Tuipulotu following Scotland’s final Six Nations fixture against Ireland on March 14
Following Mr Tuipulotu’s failed hug attempt, the pair mirrored each other by opening their arms in jest earlier this month – delighting royal fans who praised Anne’s ‘fun’ and ‘wonderful’ nature
Captioned ‘Sione finally gets his hug’, the clip saw the pair briefly embrace before exchanging a few words and seemingly laughter to conclude a rather successful tournament for Scotland.
‘Brilliant!,’ praised one royal fan, while another added: ‘Oh I think this was so sweet’.
Anne’s previous refusals to hug Mr Tuipulotu were believed to have been in accordance with royal protocol, which traditionally advises that members of the Firm do not hug members of the public during public engagements.
Yet Anne has long held a reputation as the Royal Family’s most down-to-earth and relatable member, who often delights royal fans with her compassionate nature and ability to connect with the public.
Having served as patron of the SRU for almost three decades, she is also a firm fan of the sport and was seated at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium with her husband, Sir Tim Laurence, to show her support for the Scottish players.
However, unfortunately for Anne and Sir Tim, Scotland did not come out on top on this occasion – with Ireland rising to victory with a final score of 43-21.
Yet the Princess Royal’s spirits appeared to remain high throughout the game, with Anne captured watching on with excitement for the nation’s final game of the Six Nations tournament.
Ensuring to wrap up warm for the sporting event, Anne was dressed in a navy wool, double breasted coat and a tartan scarf.
In response to the sweet clip, royal fans have taken to X in their masses to praise Anne for being ‘so human and brilliant’. At Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Anne wrapped up warm in a navy wool, double breasted coat and tartan scarf (pictured)
Previously described by the SRU as a ‘long-standing and committed supporter of Scottish rugby’, Anne has often travelled abroad to support the Scottish national team during the Six Nations tournament and rarely misses a match.
Behind the scenes, Anne has also routinely backed grassroots development and last year became patron of the Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation (MIPF), which seeks to provide support to injured players across the Scottish game.
Announcing the Princess Royal’s involvement, Ian Rankin, MIPF chair, described Anne as a ‘dedicated supporter of the Scotland rugby team’.
He added: ‘Her passion for sport, her commitment to the game at all levels, is well documented and we are honoured to have her join us as our Patron.’
In 2023, during an appearance on her son-in-law Mike Tindall’s podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, Anne revealed how she first became patron of the SRU by ‘accident’.
She added: ‘They asked me to go and open the East Stand [at Murrayfield Stadium] when it was built.
‘I had about two weeks’ notice because they had been let down, I can’t remember who by, and as it happened, the horse was lame and I wasn’t competing at the weekend, so I went.
‘About a month later, they asked me if I wanted to become patron.’
Referencing her inherent passion for the sport, the princess added: ‘Everything that rugby gives, I’m talking about exercise and team sports in general, but I do think rugby offers a variety of talents in one team.
‘And you have to look out for each other and that’s a different sort of responsibility within a team structure. They’re not all the same, you can have different skills.’
