The Queen has joked with two of England’s rugby stars about the fitness levels of the UK’s players as she celebrated the achievements of the Commonwealth.
Weighing a combined 251kg, England international rugby union stars (and brothers) Mako and Billy Vunipola are anything but twigs.
Mako, who was part of the England team which beat Wales at the weekend in a Six Nations match, said: “She was saying that apparently rugby is getting a lot tougher now, everyone’s fitter but she can’t see it.”
His brother, Billy quipped: “I think she was calling us fat – which is fair enough.”Billy and Mako, who have Tongan heritage but were brought up in the UK, were at at the Buckingham Palace reception, hosted by the Queen celebrate the Commonwealth Diaspora in the UK.
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Billy, who has missed out on Six Nations rugby due to a broken forearm, added: “It’s a massive honour that we are here and a privilege, something we will probably brag to our mum about.”
The monarch was hosting a Buckingham Palace reception for the Commonwealth diaspora in the UK and was joined at the event by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.