Prince Harry was in Aspen yesterday! Aspen in August… why? Is it nice there in the summer months? I hope so, because Harry was there to play polo for charity. There was a polo match happening and it was a benefit for Harry’s charity Sentebale. Harry’s appearance was a surprise. In addition to making the surprise appearance, Harry made a surprise announcement about a charitable donation:
Prince Harry is back in the saddle — and giving to a cause close to his heart! During a surprise appearance at a polo match benefiting Sentebale on Thursday in Aspen, Colorado, the Duke of Sussex announced that he has committed $1.5 million of the proceeds from his forthcoming memoir to the charity.
“This is one of several donations I plan to make to charitable organizations and I’m grateful to be able to give back in this way for the children and communities who gravely need it,” he said in a statement.
Harry co-founded Sentebale in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help children affected by HIV in Africa. “Sentebale is grateful for his personal contribution, which will allow the organization to continue operating at full scale and continue providing critical services to at-risk youth in Southern Africa,” the charity said in a statement.
Harry affirmed, “The Sentebale Polo Cup is critical to securing the funds needed to advance this important mission, and I’m thrilled to be able to support Sentebale, both in person and financially through a separate charitable donation to meet this immediate need. Our refocussed mission at Sentebale is about addressing the most-immediate needs of vulnerable children in Southern Africa, helping them access vital health services, receive necessary care, and build skills to be more resilient and self-sufficient in the future.”
Though Sentebale Ambassador Nacho Figueras joined the prince in Colorado, Meghan Markle did not attend Thursday’s match (which featured extensive COVID safety protocols), instead staying home in Montecito, California, with their two young children: 2-year-old Archie Harrison and Lilibet Diana, born June 4.
I’m glad Meghan didn’t go to Aspen with him or she would have gotten spontaneously pregnant again, like she did with Polo Baby in 2018. Remember that? Remember how all the dates lined up too? Archie really was a Polo Baby! Anyway, good for Harry. And I like that he specified that the donation is from his memoir deal. Harry is not required morally or ethically to give away that money, but I suspect he took such a big up-front payment just so he could spread the wealth around to his favorite charities.
There weren’t that many photos – I don’t think many photographers were credentialed for the polo match – but you can see a lot of pics on Twitter and People Magazine.
Prince Harry celebrates at the @Sentebale Polo Cup after raising nearly $3.5 million pic.twitter.com/NWSuxdOwa3
— Jamie Samhan (@JamieSamhan) August 20, 2021
Prince Harry Announces $1.5 Million Charity Donation from Memoir at Surprise Polo Match Appearance in Aspen https://t.co/O8rQUaQ0Vu
— People (@people) August 19, 2021
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid.
Wow ! Im really chuffed he got to get back on a horse for one of his favorite pastimes. one of my ponderining for Harry when they left, i magined they’d set up a ranch somewhere so he could go horse riding LOL.
@Lili … Santa Barbara has a Polo and Racquet Club. I’m sure that was one of the attractions for Harry. And someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe both Harry and William have played at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club before for charity. 🙂
I live in Southern Ca, and I do believe Harry and William did play at the Santa Barbara Polo Club many years ago.
Sadly, due to the Pandemic, it was up for sale last time I looked….
@Marjorie K. Margel … The Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club may be up for sale, but it hasn’t closed. They have a 2021 Polo schedule up at their website through October 3, 2021.
https://www.sbpolo.com/polo-schedule
It’s going strong right now. Polo club is a fixture in Santa Barbara area.
That picture of them kissing! I need a cigarette!
I’m off to take a cold shower.
Where’s Mr. Jaded!!!
Exactly! Harry looks fabulous!
I remain convinced that night was when Archie was conceived! That short kiss practically burned down the airwaves!
I love these pics. Nacho’s statement on his IG was absolutely wonderful. We all have been saying we knew we were going to see Harry playing polo in the US, nice to see it happened sooner rather than late! and yes, I’m assuming Aspen is lovely in the summer lol.
As for whether Archie is a polo baby – the dates only match up if Archie was a few weeks late. My first was due 5/8 and I remember these things all too well so I can still tell you my LMP (definitely not July) and the day I got my positive test, lol.
He was late! I remember Archie was supposed to be born in mid April-ish.
I mean, we don’t know that, lol. That was just something people speculated, mainly to make the polo baby theory work lol. I’m just saying that its a fun theory but we have zero way to know anything for sure about when they conceived. And 3 weeks late is pretty late.
I remember (I might be misremembering actually) on the Birkenhead engagement in January, Meghan apparently said late April when someone in the crowd asked. So a few days-a week late seems reasonable (Harry did say he was a bit late). And before anyone goes “But do you really think she would say her due date to a random person?” 1) she didn’t say her due date and 2) she’s human and it could have come out in a casual conversation
Indeed, even if he was late, he wouldn’t have been 3 weeks late. In the UK, as you get close to the two weeks late mark, they’ll induce you because it starts to get very risky. He would have been due the last week of April.
I like Aspen much more in the summer, better crowd, weather and of course the wildflowers. Good for him being true to himself, in it’s most upper class and sporty incubation, he needs to keep up doing happy stuff so his memories can be upgraded from his days in the dungeons of England.
August and September are sublime in Aspen and the Colorado mountains in general. Cobalt skies. The July rains have passed. The air smells like all the good things growing like sage and whatnot. You can hike and cool your feet in the rivers and streams. Ahhhhh. Go, all of you, go!
I am so glad Harry and Nacho got to spend time together. Harry played a great game. He scored 2 goals and the final score was 3-0.
Haha I was just about to write that i’m glad Harry’s true brother Nacho was there to participate 😄
I saw so many people on Twitter saying that Nacho was Harry’s true brother. Cue the incandescence.
@JT glad people are seeing that and saying it. Really highlights how unsupportive his blood relatives are — in another universe, William would be participating in this and supporting Harry’s initiatives, and Harry would gladly return the favor. Meanwhile we could never imagine William helping one of Harry’s charities because heaven forbid he gets shown up on the polo field. Pathetic.
@JT I don’t know how much William reads on SM, but I hope so hard that somehow he at least sees that particular comment. He will be incandescent, but only because he knows it’s true.
I hope it ruins Bill’s weekend : )
Duplicate post, please delete! (sorry!)
I absolutely believe that William is tuned into SM or has people do it for him. Every time H&M are trending or are in the news, sources close to William always have to counter it. I’m sure a story coming about Will being hurt that he doesn’t have his brother will be coming up.
@jt the original peacemaker story said William is addicted to reading the news. Most likely on social media.
Shall we “cue the incandescence”? Alright:
1) It’s disrespecting the Queeeen!
2) It’ll wake up Prince Phillip (from his death-sleep)!
3) It’ll preemptively destabilize William’s throoone!
Needless to say ALL OF THAT IS SNARK.
This makes me happy because not only is he doing something that makes him happy, but there is good will behind it. It also shows that one does not need to be part of the Firm in order to live your best life. These two are living it here in the US – of all places and that is the icing on the cake.
+1
Ever been to a polo match? It’s a strangely sexy sport. I think it’s the jodhpurs.
Are we taking bets on how long it will be before the salty bitches criticize him for publicizing the donation?
It took them mere moments to criticize him for publicizing the donation. Because they don’t understand that the publicity drives further donations. Irrational hate makes people stupid.
I’ve never watched polo, but I’m now intrigued. I guess because the only people I ever see playing it are British aristos so I’ve never thought of it as anything other than stodgy, but your comment intrigues me!
I mean, I would watch Nacho play polo all day long, lol.
They’re probably just mad that Harry’s polo match raised more than William’s, which wasn’t publicized and wasn’t as widely covered. As we all know here, they are always projecting William’s bs on to Harry.
Becks1, that and staring at their beautiful home. Have you seen the spread of their Argentinian home and stables? I’d glady live in the stables they’re so gorgeous!
@Nota yes! I think we had a story here about it (or else it just got linked here.) Just gorgeous. I like to think of H&M going there for an extended winter break (their summer) in a few years. Absolutely stunning. I also think Harry should start using Nacho’s stylist, lol.
I’ve been to some local matches, and took a lesson once, as an offshoot to an adult Ed riding class I was taking. It was fun, but it was funny because all the horses knew how to play but the riders didn’t. So you had all these school ponies running around chasing the ball with the riders hanging on and then taking a swing and missing. Then the ball would get kicked by a horse and the horses would take off after it. 😂
It’s definitely a wealthy person’s game at Harry’s level, he must be so happy to have gotten to play again for charity.
@Miranda, it really is! Since it’s far less common in the US, we don’t see it a lot (I don’t think I even knew anything about it until I started following William decades ago), but those pics of Harry…
I discovered it through my polo-playing British ex (not an aristo, but the same sort of parvenu background as Kate, complete with the unnatural, self-consciously posh accent. Ugh). Going to his matches may have hastened our breakup, because after awhile, I started regarding them more as window-shopping excursions to hunt for a new boyfriend.
Aspen is the best during the summer!
Agreed! I love the mountains in the summer.
Aspen is spectacular during August!! It’s absolutely lovely.
I am so glad Harry was participating and that Nacho did as well. What a wonderful program Sentebale is, too!
Judging by his genuine words on his Instagram post and the giant grins on their faces, Nacho seems to be a much truer brother than the one Harry actually shares DNA with.
The body language between Nacho and Harry dislike night and day versus William as well. There are so many photos of them hugging and putting their arms around each other. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pic of Harry and William like that. And I’ve certainly never heard William speak so kindly about Harry either. Nacho is Harry’s true bug brother, imo.
They had such a sexy, newlywed vibe at the 2018 Polo. Good times. It’s great that he personally contributed to Sentebale on top of the fundraising efforts.
Holy Lord, about the newlywed vibe. When you’ve got Nacho (who is a dandy snack in his own right) standing there like “Here’s your trophy.” And H & M seem so shall we say preoccupied that it’s like Harry’s saying, “No thanks, I’ve got my prize.”
It’s always nice to see the Sussexes out and about. I read that the match raised around 2 million and with Harry’s 1.5 million donation, it’s around 3.5 million in total which is great!
That’s amazing. Harry is so committed to his work. Who wouldn’t want him on their team? I’ll never truly understand how the firm would be so stupid as to let Harry go. They should’ve kept HIM happy regardless of who he married and it’s not Meg was some lazy do nothing who sat on a** all day either.
It may be getting through their thick skulls just how much they f*cked up now, seeing how many moves the Sussexes are making….but nothing that can be done about it now. Too bad, so sad, Windsors.
I wonder if Harry took the beautiful trophy home to Montecito. It would look great in their mansion. He scored the most goals, so …..well deserved?
Such an amazing way to announce HOW BIG the book advance must have been, for him to be giving away more than one multi million dollars donations from it!!
The posed polo pic is gorgeous, but why do women always cross their legs these days?? Is it to make them look more vulnerable? It’s so weird and kind of Victorian Era “modest”. Yuck.
It can’t possibly be modesty in this celebrity era – more that one looks thinner when viewed at a 3/4 angle. That, or she needed a bathroom break…
@Jezz ahahaha that hadn’t occurred to me about the advance, but you’re right! L-O-F-L at all of the courtiers (and William) who are probably seething right now.
I’m just happy Harry now gets to do things his way. That’s probably a huge relief to him.
Aspen is nice in the summer! Down here in Denver it feels hot and muggy and the air quality sucks right now. A trip to the mountains is always fun.
It’s silly speculation, but I feel like Harry’s hair was thicker/fuller in the pics. I’m going to die if he slowly “gets” his hair back after living in California for a couple years. He’ll have finally broken the Windsor hair curse, and all it took was some Cali docs and sweet, sweet freedom.
…and the sun. Everything does better with sunshine to spur the growth. I think it would be truly hilarious if his hair returned.
Its not going to. He’s more bald now. Not that attractive with it!
His hair IS looking good/fuller in that pic of the players! Clearly, living so well is agreeing with him…lol
Aspen is the best in the summer. Aside from the climate change fires. It is beautiful and wonderful. I grew up there summer is the best.
The BM is salty again because the US media gets first dibs on Sussex news.
strange given that the uk gets first news about the Cambridges and their cards….that’s all royalists expect from their royals so the uk media should be happy to oblige and talk about W&K and their kids, Ford Fiesta and her husband as well as the rest
The problem is very few seem to care about those people
@VS that is what is so wild about the situation— they’re “royal” reporters but the majority of what they write is focused on Harry and Meghan, the non-working royals (who, as far as they’re concerned, are so un-royal that they think their titles should be stripped).
How do they not see this, and see how awful and pathetic it makes the BRF look?
But I guess if they had to write mainly about only the Cambridges, the pages would be blank, so.
Which is their fault because they chose to back the wrong horse and still expect the Sussexes to kiss their behinds. They are upset because they’re being called out, the desperation of trying to cover for Andrew is plain as day and their obsession with them. They see everything they’ve done backfire and they don’t know what to do. Harry and Meghan don’t care about them or their opinions except when getting lawyer involved. They can’t bully or blackmail them anymore and they’ll never have access to these two again. They’ll never recover from that.
Does anyone know what they’re salty about? I hate to give them clicks.
I love how Harry and Meghan make “surprise” appearances. I imagine that means “not widely publicized to all the paps,” because there’s no way he wouldn’t show up to a charity polo match for Sentebale. H&M just show up, do their thing and announce the results – effective and no parades.
I live in Colorado! Not far from
Aspen. (In mountain terms) I am so happy he was here!
I wish they had live streamed it or had more coverage.. I would have watched even if it was a pay to view.. I did see some video clips of the game and it looked like it would be fun to watch. I am glad he now controls who is in his orbit and that includes news sources.. it is glaringly obvious it will never be the gossip commentators that think the Sussex’s somehow owe them for the abuse they continue to heap on them.. I just wish everyone would realize the bad “Marbles” and British media have not heard anything from these two since they moved, and probably for several years before that. I think it is wonderful that the event was so successful and will make a huge difference in children’s lives. It is nice to focus on something good while it seems every thing else is so bad.
We’ve spent time in Aspen in the summer and it’s gorgeous. There’s a lot of arts stuff going on, too. Oh, and there’s a polo community in Santa Barbara, just south of Montecito. I hope Harry plays there too. The sport really suits him.
We’ve spent time in Aspen in the summer and it’s gorgeous. There’s a lot of arts stuff going on, too. Oh, and there’s a polo community in Santa Barbara, just south of Montecito. I hope Harry plays there too. The sport really suits him. I bet the couriers and tabloids are turning themselves inside out trying to find a way to warp Harry’s generosity. Well played, Harry and Meghan. Thrive indeed.
The courtiers, family and tabloids are going to eat each other alive. The Sussexes leaving has ruined everything for them. They were not supposed to leave and put up with abuse, being distractions and shields for everyone else. At this point, the family and media seem desperate. The longer they stay away and the more successful they become the harder and angrier it will be for the royals and tabloids.
Has the Sussexes been granted their half-in / half-out request, there would have been actual royal rota reporters getting a nice work trip to Santa Barbara, covering the prince who matters and enjoying a few days in that gorgeous area. Instead, they’re stuck in the UK waiting for the boring and unglamorous Keens to come back from vacation so they can get back to doing nothing as exciting as Harry and Meghan. And when they’re not waiting on the Keens, they’re trying to figure out how not to talk about Andrew. They will forever miss out and we love to see it.
Yes, the Cambridges must be fuming. Even with the majority of the British media behind them they will forever be in the shadow of the Susessexs.
Nacho and Harry, two pieces of eye candy for the price of one.
yum!
Yum indeed!
It’s very interesting on how they managed to let us know how much was raised for the charity the day of the event and not months later. Things are definitely more transparent here. You don’t need to dig into a financial report to find out the information.
Yeah I didn’t see amount raised when Bill played polo recently & did they ever say how much was raised from that regatta?
Nacho’s Instagram suggested they spent a few days in Aspen together. Can’t believe Meghan let her hostage travel to another state & hang out with a friend. Can’t believe Angela Levin & the other royal experts that know everything couldn’t tell us about Harry’s plans in advance.
I’m sure Hagatha Levin is going to come up with some bile that Meghan and Harry’s marriage is on the rocks because Harry left her with the babies to faff around with horses.
Announcing how much was raised should be seen as a good thing and you’re right, it is more more transparent to do so.
The huge difference between the Sussex’s and the rest of the family is that the Sussex’s work for results, the Royals “work” for optics and PR.. results are an afterthought. It is why their initiatives and patronage’s struggle.
Totally agree!
@Cessily, Jill Biden just learned that the hard way. We saw it dawn on her in real time! It’s just a shame her time was wasted. But Kate got her photo op! So as far as they’re concerned, it was a total success.
Exactly!
Does anyone recall how long after Archie’s birth that photos of him were released? Were any out before the christening? I hope we see baby Lili soon.
Why?? I mean I understand that people love a new baby but it’s kinda weird how people are clamoring to see Lili
I wouldn’t call it “clamoring” (which is what the RRs did with Archie), more like friendly curiosity from fans. I mean, I’d *love* to see what she looks like just because I adore the Sussexes. Obviously I agree that they have any obligation to show us a photo of her, but I don’t see any problem with the original comment asking about it.¯_(ツ)_/¯
When Archie was born they were still under the thumb of the rota and BM. They have no obligation to show Lili to any of us.
We have no right to a photo of her. The caveat as we’ve discussed before? If they don’t release a picture of her, the paps will go to extremes to steal a picture of her.
I’ve been envisioning the Sussexes buying a vacation home in Aspen where they can spend the holidays. Forget those dusty Sandringham Christmases. So to see an Aspen connection here makes me happy. I hope he did some house hunting.
Harry is also with the Aspen Institute this year, so hopefully he was doing something with them while he was there. I really was hoping Meghan would be there too but her baby is still only 2 months and Delta is so scary. Maybe she was for a day or so and we just don’t know. Anyway, was great to see him back in the saddle and raising a huge amount for such a good cause.
Hate to be that person but the Aspen Institute is NOT in Aspen lol
The Aspen Institute DOES have a campus in Aspen.
https://www.aspeninstitute.org/about/heritage/
Today the Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners.
@Legalese are you sure? They’re headquartered in D.C. but have an actual campus in Aspen, CO 🌳. They have other offices both nationally and internationally. Didn’t realize they were so big.
I’m waiting for them to go skiing* at Aspen or Vail or Sun Valley or wherever the A list celebs go these days. Will and Kate hide their Alps skiing now, but watch a pap release a picture of Meghan and Demi Moore** getting a glass of wine after shopping or skiing all day and see how FAST we see something from the Cambridges – something family focused of course, maybe work related, maybe not, but those kids would get trotted out so fast……
*I don’t know if Meghan skis, I’m just spitballing here.
**I can’t remember if Demi is unproblematic or not and I can’t remember if she still has a place in Sun Valley. I can’t even remember if its called Sun Valley (in Idaho or Montana?) I just remember them skiing a lot back when I used to read People mag, lol. So sub whatever celeb you want for Demi.
Becks you crack me up!! I don’t think Demi is problematic. I could be forgetting something, but I don’t ever remember her being in some situation in which she had to issue an apology or whatnot.
She still has a place in Idaho as of December, where she was isolating with her daughters.
Does the UK even have ski resorts that match the luxury of Aspen, Vail, etc.? Because I could have sworn the British papers were bragging about how their FFK and FFQC would no longer be vacationing outside of Britannia. Man, they have really boxed themselves in with their obsession out “out British” and one-up Harry and Meghan. No more Verbier for you, Will! 😂😂
@Nyro
Of course they’ll still go skiing. They’ll just do it under the radar, in exchange for invading their children’ privacy.
1) I can’t wait to hear all about how donating $1.5 million dollars to people in need is, somehow, bad. But I have faith in them that they’ll find a way to criticize it!
2) This answers the question these losers have been screeching about ever since the Sussexes released their recent statement — “But what are THEY doing?!! How much are THEY donating?!” (I get that this particular contribution from Harry is for a different organization, but still.
They really can’t bitch about the Sussexes not being extremely generous in their giving in general in the face of stories like this.)
3) Somehow, they will simultaneously claim that the Sussexes should personally give more — as they have been for the past few days — and AT THE SAME TIME criticize Harry for making it public. “Real philanthropists do it quietly, they don’t need to tell the whole world!” “He’s such an attention seeker, I thought he wanted PRIVACY!!”etc. But again, refer to #2.
🤯🤯🤯
ETA: Good for Harry, and on a shallow note, he looks SO good and so much happier than he ever did in the U.K.
Oh, best believe that the commentators are gonna be salty – as you say, it will be interpreted as Harry trying to “one up” the other brother with a charity polo match. William, no doubt, will be “blindsided” by not being invited and also “Incandescent” that Harry is trying to replace him with a celebrity. A beautiful, full-head-of-hair celebrity. Ouch!
I’ll see your “blindsided” and raise you a “But polo was the ONLY THING William had!”
When the memoir was announced the RR wanted to know how much was going to be donated to charity. Now that Harry made an announcement about a donation, they’re upset that he announced it.
Those darn goalposts just won’t stay still.
LOL. Shocking! Le sigh, those goalposts probably get more daily exercise than I do.
It is just so satisfying to watch!
Prince Harry is very handsome.
I’m amazed that they managed to raise $3.5 million from just one match. For reference a couple of years ago it was a big deal when Harry and William were able to raise 1 million at a single match and William’s match a month ago didnt crack £600k. Sometimes i think aboit the tweets from royal reporters threatening to not cover Harry and Meghan and warning that they wouldnt be able to raise money without their coverage and i just have to laugh. No wonder they’re always so bitter.