England face Italy at home on Saturday but have been preparing without Bukayo Saka this Thursday. The Arsenal winger was given permission to miss the session in order to meet royalty at Buckingham Palace.
An event was held at Buckingham Palace by Prince Charles and Dutchess of Cornwall Camilla in order to celebrate the work of the people to put together the Commonwealth Games. The games are due to take place in the final week of July and the first week of August in Birmingham.
A reception for 500 people was put together and as one of the invited sports stars, celebrities and politicians, to which Saka was keen to attend.
“It is an honour to be invited here. Obviously I know how valuable the royal family are and to be able to be here to meet them,” Saka told the Evening Standard.
“Obviously I had to leave the England camp, so I have to thank Gareth for letting me do that because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am so happy.”
Even so his manager was happy for him to leave. Saka was joined by the likes of Maro Itoje from the English rugby team too.
Saka’s invitation shows the importance he has gained as a cultural icon in England, at the tender age of twenty. Already a fixture in the England side and Arsenal‘s player of the season, it’s no small achievement.