Prince Harry Plays Polo in Palm Beach in Support of His Sentebale Charity

Every year, Prince Harry's charity, Sentebale, hosts an annual polo match, which has become their largest fundraiser. Today, there's a Royal Salute Polo Challenge to benefit Sentebale taking place at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida (in Palm Beach county)—different than the charity's annual Polo Cup, but with the same mission: To support Sentebale's work.

Harry played in in the match today, sponsored by whisky brand Royal Salute; he played on a team against his longtime friend, Nacho Figueras. Both Meghan Markle and Figueras's wife Delfina were in attendance to cheer them on; the Duchess of Sussex looked chic in an ivory dress as they posed for photos after the game.

The Duke of Sussex and Figueras have competed together often in recent years; not only does Figueras often joins Harry at Sentebale charity matches, the friends competed on a Santa Barbara polo team together in 2022. At the time, Figueras shared, "We got to spend a lot of time together on the field, off the field with our families. We really bonded more than we've ever bonded before, being able to be with him so much."

While today's event is called a Polo Challenge, Sentebale's Polo Cup has taken place annually hosted since 2010, and has raised over $13 million to support the organizations's work in Lesotho and Botswana. Last year's Cup took place in Singapore, and the 2o21 and 2022 editions of the event were in Aspen, Colorado. There's no word yet on where the 2024 edition, which will happen later this year, will take place.

Last year, Prince Harry shared, "The annual Polo Cup is essential to Sentebale's vital work ensuring children and young people are healthy, resilient, and able to thrive. The funds raised this year will support our Clubs and Camps programme, which provides intensive pyschosocial support to young people living with HIV. In a time where being HIV positive is no longer a death sentence, we are empowering young people to know their status, stay healthy, and eliminate the stigma so that they can break the cycle."

Alix Lebec, Prince Harry, and Dr. Sophie Chandauka on the Sentebale "Potential is Waiting" panel discussion.

It's a big week for Sentebale: The charity is also currently hosting its first-ever benefit auction at Sotheby's, and last night, they co-hosted a panel with finance and philanthropy firm Lebec in Miami to "discuss solutions across the capital spectrum to meet the next generation in Southern Africa with possibility and action." Prince Harry spoke on the panel, and discussed his love for Africa and his passion for Sentebale's mission. "Africa's in my heart, and Africa's in my soul," he said. "I first went there when I was 12, 13 years old, and after so many years, I wanted to give back to it because it had given me so much. The vast open space, the cultures, the community, the people, the wildlife, just the freedom was a huge piece of why I loved Africa so much." He also shared, "At the heart of Sentebale, what we've always believed, is that every single young person should have a chance at a better future."

Prince Harry's polo appearance comes just a day after Deadline reported that one of his and Meghan's new projects in the works at Netflix will be a show that follows the world of professional polo. "Shot primarily at the U.S. Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida, at The USPA National Polo Center, the series will explore the world of the sport, which is known primarily for its aesthetic and social scene," Deadline reported. "It will pull the curtain back on the grit and passion of the sport, capturing players and all it takes to compete at the highest level." The series, which is currently in the early stages of development, is currently untitled, and it's unclear if Harry himself will appear in the show.

Emily Burack

Senior News Editor

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.