Prince Harry ‘Loves Being a Dad,’ Says His Polo Pal: ‘I Admire Him So Much as a Parent’ (Exclusive)
Watching Prince Harry interact with his children is inspirational for his close friend and fellow polo player Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras.
“Prince Harry is doing very well, and I admire how he has fully embraced fatherhood over the past couple of years,” Figueras, 47, told PEOPLE exclusively before they faced off on different teams in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge charity match held at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, on April 12.
The Argentine polo star, who is a father of four, adds that Prince Harry “loves being a dad” to son Prince Archie, 4, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 2, adding, “He loves parenthood. I admire him so much as a parent.”
“He has a great and supportive wife in Meghan Markle,” he says.
Although Archie and Lilibet weren’t at the polo game in Florida, both Prince Harry and Meghan’s connection with kids was apparent as they both greeted Figueras and Delfina Blaquier’s daughter Alba with warm hugs at the event.
The three matches featuring three different teams were a fundraiser for Sentebale, which the Duke of Sussex co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006. The charity, for which they raised $1 million this past week in three events, helps young people in southern Africa affected by poverty, inequality and disease.
Meghan accompanied Prince Harry to Florida and handed him the winning trophy with a kiss, showing her support all afternoon. Figueras believes the Duchess of Sussex, 42, and their two children have been wonderful support for Prince Harry as he has dealt with the challenges involved in the cancer diagnosis of his father, King Charles.
“Seeing Prince Harry so involved with his children and happy with his great wife is heartening,” says Figueras, an ambassador for Sentebale. “His passion for family matches his passion for polo, which is what first drew me to him when we met years ago.”
Figueras first met Prince Harry at a 2007 charity match benefiting Sentebale, and he says they instantly bonded over their love for horses and what they mean to the sport.
“We both love horses, polo, the thrill of competition, the speed with which the game is played and the adrenaline,” says Figueras. “We love and respect the beauty of these animals and the amazing ingredients that this sport offers.”
The three matches featuring three different teams were a fundraiser for Sentebale, which the Duke of Sussex co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006. The charity, for which they raised $1 million this past week in three events, helps young people in southern Africa affected by poverty, inequality and disease.
Meghan accompanied Prince Harry to Florida and handed him the winning trophy with a kiss, showing her support all afternoon. Figueras believes the Duchess of Sussex, 42, and their two children have been wonderful support for Prince Harry as he has dealt with the challenges involved in the cancer diagnosis of his father, King Charles.
“Seeing Prince Harry so involved with his children and happy with his great wife is heartening,” says Figueras, an ambassador for Sentebale. “His passion for family matches his passion for polo, which is what first drew me to him when we met years ago.”
Figueras first met Prince Harry at a 2007 charity match benefiting Sentebale, and he says they instantly bonded over their love for horses and what they mean to the sport.
“We both love horses, polo, the thrill of competition, the speed with which the game is played and the adrenaline,” says Figueras. “We love and respect the beauty of these animals and the amazing ingredients that this sport offers.
His respect for Prince Harry deepened as he saw the amount of time and work he continuously puts into the sport and playing it for charity.
“I love that he really cares and dedicates himself to polo by training regularly and keeping up with his riding then puts it to good causes,” he says.
Figueras is supercharged about the new Netflix project announced last week centered around the world of polo, which is being executive produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their Archewell Productions. It was partially filmed at the charity event as well as during the April U.S. Open Polo Championship in Wellington at the USPA National Polo Center.
“I have always wanted to introduce polo to a wider audience,” says the six-goaler, who plays in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina and all over the U.S., usually with his family in tow.
“Prince Harry and I have talked about polo for years. The production company is incredible, and Netflix has a huge platform to reach the biggest hearts in the world. I am happy to be involved and think this is a great opportunity for the sport,” Figueras says.
According to a statement, the nonfiction series will “provide viewers unprecedented access to the world of professional polo, which is primarily known for its aesthetic and social scene. The series 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.” Even though Prince Harry and Meghan may make cameos in the series, they aren’t planning to star in it.
Figueras is further excited because he knows how hard Prince Harry works on all of his projects.
“When I see Prince Harry delve into Sentebale, it makes me want to support him and his other projects even more,” says Figueras, who has another Sentebale polo match coming up this summer. “I know he will do the same for this series.”
His respect for Prince Harry’s passion and dedication in all he does is echoed by Dr. Sophia Chandauka MBE, Chair of Sentebale. She tells PEOPLE that the Duke of Sussex is involved deeply with the charity in his challenge and conviction.
“Prince Harry feels safe and secure in Africa and has been associated with it since childhood,” she says.
“He has love, trust and passion for Africa. He is energetic and hard-working as well as being blessed with a wife like Meghan who makes it possible for him to do this,” Chandauka adds. “He is principled and really cares. For these reasons, I want to continue to support him.”
