The Princess of Wales cheered from the sidelines as Prince William competed on a baking hot polo pitch in a charity cup at the Guards Polo Club near Windsor on Friday. The event, the Royal Charity Polo Cup, is set to push its total fundraising past £15 million.
Royal Support and Scorching Temperatures
Kate wore a gingham dress and sunglasses as she debriefed with her husband partway through one of the games, with Windsor Castle visible on the far horizon. Temperatures neared 30°C as William, playing his usual defensive position of number four, made his 15th appearance at the event.
A Family Polo Legacy
Commentator Karl Ude Martinez reminded the crowd of the royal family’s polo legacy, noting that William and the Duke of Sussex used to compete together. “Obviously his brother plays, they play a lot together – they used to play a lot together,” Martinez said. “His father played, King Charles got up to a very good handicap – their grandfather played, the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, he played for many, many years and competed in many a big tournament. Their father before that played. They’ve played for many, many generations and it is something that is very close to their heart.”
William's Rare Appearance and Defensive Skills
Martinez praised William’s defensive skills that led his US Polo Association team to a goal. He noted that William is left-handed but had to learn to play with his right hand, and joked about his support for Aston Villa. “In fact, the Prince of Wales is left-handed but he had to learn to play with his right hand – he’s also an Aston Villa fan but we won’t hold that against him,” Martinez said.
William braved the heat as “a true professional,” according to Martinez, who added: “He has played for many years but he doesn’t often get time to play. He doesn’t get time to play at all, really, because of his commitments and his busy schedule. To have him here today to play is truly a very, very rare occasion.”
Team Line-Up and Charity Auction
William’s squad included former England captain Mark Tomlinson, Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, and Leicester City FC chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha. Guests began the day with a champagne reception before a silent charity auction for causes including Wales Air Ambulance, the Royal College of Paramedics, mental health service Shout, and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.
