Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrive hand in hand at charity polo match in Florida

The Duchess of Sussex arrived hand in hand with her husband, Prince Harry, at a charity polo match on April 12, 2024 – and it was a nail-biting time for the mom-of-two as she watched the sporty prince first try and fail to score during his first match, only to score in his second.

Meghan, who looked chic in an ivory silk and hemp Heidi Merrick dress which retails for $515 and even featured a cheeky cut-out section – perfect for the hot Wellington, Florida weather – paired her look with Aquazzura heels, vintage Chanel jewelery and a Valentino purse.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk hand-in-hand into charity polo match

As the group arrived, Meghan was spotted hugging Argentine polo player, Nacho Figueras, and his 11-year-old daughter Alba, before Harry and Meghan took pictures alongside Nacho and his wife Delfina Blaquier.

The Duke of Sussex, 39, went head-to-head against his longtime friend Nacho in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, which will benefit Harry’s charity, Sentebale. The Duke’s team won the first match 1-0 although Harry was unable to score any points; his second, against Nacho, saw him score one point.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk hand in hand

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at charity polo match in Florida

Harry’s turn on the field came towards the end of the day, as the prince wore a blue jersey and white riding pants for the two matches he was set to play in, showing off his polo prowess on the fields as the crowds were encouraged to cheer.

Prince Harry plays polo in Florida

Prince Harry plays polo in the number 2 jersey

Meghan and Delfina walk away hand in hand

Earlier in the day when the royal pair first arrived, it was warm greetings for the Sentebale executives and close friends Nacho and Delfina; when it was time for the two men to have their turn in the spotlight, Meghan and Delfina grabbed hands as they walked out of the step and repeat.

HELLO! also caught the sweet moment Meghan wrapped an arm around young Alba’s shoulder as they walked into the event, and Nacho joked with the Duke and Duchess that Alba wanted to know why their youngest daughter Lili was not in attendance.

Meghan Markle walks with her arm around Nacho Figueras’ daughter Alba

The event comes just days after the Duke appeared at a summit in San Francisco for mental health and coaching company BetterUp.

We’ll be bringing you all of the action from the polo match so stay tuned…

What is Sentebale?

Prince Harry with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho

Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho co-founded Sentebale in 2006 as a response to the needs of children and young people living in the southern African nation.

The charity’s name, Sentebale, means forget-me-not in the Sesotho language of Lesotho and represents a pledge to remember and help vulnerable children.

Since 2010, the annual Polo Cup has raised over £11 million to support Sentebale’s work with children and young people affected by poverty, inequality and HIV/AIDS in southern Africa.

Rules of polo

Playing field and equipment

Played on grass, with a ball and mallets the principle pieces. A standard polo pitch measures up to 270 metres by 150 metres. The ball weighs around 4.5 ounces and the mallets measure 49 to 54 inches. Riders require a protective equestrian helmet, knee-length boots, spurs and a whip. Two gloves with wristbands are worn too. Polo jerseys are numbered one to four and relate to player positions.

Protagonists

Two teams comprising four players each (and their horses!). Team members are either assigned to ‘defence’ or ‘attack’.

Duration

Matches last about one and a half to two hours and are divided into seven-and-a-half-minute periods called chukkas. There are either four or six chukkas in a match, divided by halftime. During halftime, spectators are asked to tend to divots on the field.

Matchplay

To start the match, an official rolls the ball into play. Players score by driving the ball between the open posts of the opposing goal which measures 7.3 metres in width.. There is no rule on how high the ball can travel through the air. Teams change ends after each goal. Fouls are divided into crosses, foul hooks and dangerous engagements. In the event of foul, a penalty is awarded during which the transgressing team must be positioned a minimum of 27.4 metres from the ball. The team which scores the most goals wins. In the event of a draw, sudden death overtime is played in which the first team to score triumphs.

Credit: The UK Rules

Prince Harry’s friendship with Nacho Figueras

Nacho and Harry in New York in 2009

The royal and the Argentine polo player’s friendship goes way back to 2007, a year after Harry first set up Sentebale.

Nacho is a longtime ambassador for the charity and previously said of Harry to PEOPLE magazine in 2022: “From day one, I saw how committed he was to his charity. Fast forward 15 years, I’ve been to Lesotho with him a few times, and I’ve seen what great work the charity does and how important it is for a lot of kids, how committed he is, how much he really cares about it.”

The pair have played in polo matches all around the world, with their last taking place in Singapore in August 2023, with Nacho sharing a hilarious candid snap of them wearing sunglasses and “shopping for our wives” in a gift store.

Harry and Nacho pose together in Japan

Soon after the Prince went on his first date with Suits star Meghan, Nacho was one of the friends who knew about their romance, as revealed in their Netflix docuseries.

Nacho and his wife, Delfina, were also among the guests to attend Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding in 2018.

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