In August 2012, Prince Harry and Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte found themselves in the same Las Vegas nightclub, setting the stage for an impromptu swimming race that would later be overshadowed by controversy. Lochte, fresh from winning two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics, was celebrating his belated 28th birthday, while Prince Harry was enjoying downtime after his duties as an Olympic ambassador.
The pair met at the Wynn hotel at around 2am, when a member of Lochte's entourage noticed the Prince and asked the swimmer if he wanted to say hello. Lochte readily agreed, and the two struck up a conversation. As Lochte prepared to return to his friends, Prince Harry challenged him to a race in the pool, insisting they dive in fully clothed.
According to Lochte, a makeshift 10-metre lane was cleared in the pool, with a bikini-clad woman acting as judge. The American swimmer recalled that Harry displayed surprisingly good form but that he ultimately won. "It was Team USA all the way," Lochte said, adding that he was surprised by the challenge but had no intention of going easy on the Prince.
After the race, the two parted ways around 4.30am. Lochte later ensured his friends' phones were confiscated to avoid any compromising photos, but Prince Harry did not take the same precaution. The next day, images of the Prince playing strip pool with a scantily-clad woman in his VIP suite were published worldwide, leading to public embarrassment.
In his memoir, Spare, Harry reflected on the incident, describing how he woke to see his friend's reaction and realised he had been photographed naked. He admitted to suggesting the game and losing his clothes, calling it "harmless, silly" until the photos emerged. Lochte, meanwhile, expressed admiration for Harry, describing him as "a great guy" and a worthy competitor.
