King Charles meets Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney on Wrexham AFC visit
King Charles met Wrexham AFC co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as he paid a visit to the football club.
The King and Queen visited the Racecourse Stadium, which was bought by the actors in 2021, on Friday and met players and staff as well as the co-chairmen during a tour of the Racecourse Ground.
Deadpool actor Reynolds and McElhenney, who stars in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, joked they had had etiquette lessons ahead of the visit.
Speaking to media ahead of their meeting, Reynolds said: “I would say that we’re impossibly excited to welcome him to the Racecourse ground, this historic church that resides in the heart of Wrexham and is the heart of Wrexham.
“Rob and I both said early on, and this holds true and for the rest of our lives, we will do anything to uplift and elevate this community and this club and having the King pay a visit is certainly one way to do it. That’s for sure. Very excited.”
The actors said they had not watched the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s controversial Netflix show, which aired the day before the visit.
McElhenney said: “I’ve never heard of it.”
The stars have chronicled their takeover of the club in documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which was being filmed when the King and Camilla visited.
McElhenney said he thought the King must be a fan of the club.
He said: “This is an incoming call. So we hope that he’s a fan. If not, we’ll make him a fan.”
Ryan Reynolds said he hoped to talk to the monarch about the work they were doing to improve the club and stadium.
He said: “I would love to tell him a little bit about what it is that we’re hoping to achieve with the renovation of the Kop stand, and it’s not even a renovation, I would say that it’s a complete reimagining of the Kop stand, and what that will mean to not just the club, but the community of Wrexham as well.”
Asked if he might offer them a gift of Aviation Gin, the company which he owns, Reynolds said: “I don’t want to compete with the Royal gin now. That might create a conflict of interest.”
‘Grass’
The King and Camilla walked through the players’ tunnel onto the pitch at the ground, where they met Reynolds, McElhenney and club executives and greeted players from the first team before posing for a picture.
The King was heard wishing players luck for their upcoming game on Saturday, while Camilla told another player: “It’s an extraordinary story.”
Camilla wore a printed silk dress and Russell and Bromley boots and wrapped up against the cold temperatures in a camel cashmere coat by Anna Valentine and a wide-brimmed fluffy hat.
They watched football demonstrations from the women and youth teams on the pitch.
The Royals also met staff from the club shop, administration team, coaches and medical staff and learned about the redevelopment of the club from strategic advisor to the board Shaun Harvey, as well as meeting contractors and architects involved in the project.
The King joked about the pitch to head groundsman Paul Chaloner, saying: “It is proper grass isn’t it, not that plastic stuff?”
The King and Camilla went on to meet disabled liaison officer for Wrexham AFC, Kerry Evans, and participants of Powerchair football.
Ms Evans, 47, said : “It’s very, very special, what an honour.
“The King and Camilla both said it’s absolutely amazing the work we’ve been doing here.
“I never thought we’d have royalty at the club, now we’ve had Hollywood royalty and real royalty!”
Wrexham AFC was the first club in Wales to offer Powerchair football, a team participation sport for people who use electric wheelchairs.
The royal couple also met 97-year-old Wrexham fan Arthur Massey.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
King Charles, A king, or Someone’s king. Not THE king…. He’s no king of mine.
Yeah, people have this weird fascination with trying to make out they are the only Royals left on the planet. King so and so, instead of including that all important Place of Origin after his Name…King Charles of England!!! Not Britain (Wales)
Chucky Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Pappadoulou- Sunderberg-Mountbatten jumping on the bandwagon to try and make it look like he cares about Cymru, now he has the spangly hat.
If he cared, he would not have dumped his kid on us without asking.
I think it’s possible that Charles cares about Cymru and cares about Windsor royal procedure where that procedure doesn’t care about Cymru.
It’s messy but it makes more sense than him going out of his way to try to control this relatively small bit of land.
You can’t care for both, the Future of the that institute and them leading it goes directly in hand with the erasure of Wales. As they have no legitimacy over it and they can’t afford the Welsh population realising it. Only one survives in the long term. And I know which one I support!
The English Establishment know that Wrexham AFC has many supporters who believe in Cymru and our freedom. Hence, they throw Tories and Royals into the Racecourse. Sadly, they are welcomed when they should be politely but firmly shown the door.
What did I say the other day?
There must be a Lay Line, a Neolithic Ceremonial Way, Pilgrimage Route, Roman and Pre-Roman Road, a Drover’s Track and now a Royal Progression leading up to Wrecsam AFC’s front door…
It is a fairy story come Roy of the Rovers Christmas Special…
Ryan and Robbie, whatever it is, you’ve got it spades, Cheers!
ps tranquilo, carlos could not resist the force.
The Ryan and Ronnie Story reminds me of two other gents who saw the precious elements embed in this country…Messrs W. Pritchard Morgan and T.A. Readwin …
Slip of the tongue there ‘ Ryan and Robbie ‘ but there is a great photo of R and R in b/w on the culture page too…
Dim wyau I Carlo heddiw
Ieir Wrecsam wedi cael ffliw yr adar mae’n rhaid !!
King Spaniel is an English king, not our countries. Shame Rob and Ryan took a big step backwards. You don’t NY put Cymru on the map with this nonsense
What a miserable bunch you all are- Kerry Evans who does so much good summed up what it meant for people who do not have such massive chips on their shoulders as follows—- The King and Camilla went on to meet disabled liaison officer for Wrexham AFC, Kerry Evans, and participants of Powerchair football.
Ms Evans, 47, said : “It’s very, very special, what an honour.
“The King and Camilla both said it’s absolutely amazing the work we’ve been doing here.
“I never thought we’d have royalty at the club, now we’ve had Hollywood royalty and real royalty!”
Okay kneeler