PRINCE Harry is set to make his first public appearance following the birth of his daughter by hosting a polo match in the US after pledging to “increase his visibility”.
The Duke of Sussex will compete in the Sentebale polo match today in Colorado after donating £1.1million from the proceeds of his upcoming memoirs to the charity he co-founded.
He will be joined on the field in Aspen by Argentine polo player and Sentebale ambassador Nacho Figueras.
It is the first time Harry has ventured out for a public appearance since Lilibet’s birth on June 4, as the 36-year-old has been on maternity leave up until now.
The royal family is braced for the publication of Harry’s memoirs next year which he has written “not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become”.
Harry set up Sentebale, in memory of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in Lesotho in 2006 to help vulnerable children in southern Africa affected by extreme poverty, inequality, and the HIV/Aids epidemic.
The Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup was postponed last year because of the pandemic.
Harry said he was “thrilled” to be supporting Sentebale in person and his donation was one of several he planned to make to charitable organisations.
The duke said in a statement: “Our refocused 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.”
He thanked sponsors and those who had helped to make the tournament, which will have fewer guests than normal, Covid-safe.
Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
The duke added: “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.
“This is one of several donations I plan to make to charitable organisations and I’m grateful to be able to give back in this way for the children and communities who gravely need it.”
Harry will play on the Sentebale Team against the Royal Salute and US Polo Assn teams in a round-robin tournament.
Sentebale said the match was its single largest fundraising opportunity and its postponement last year left the charity in need of further support, with Harry stepping in to help.
“Because last year’s Polo Cup was postponed and this year’s was significantly and rightfully reduced in size and scope, the organisation is in need of further support to continue its mission,” it said.
“To help meet this need, the duke is donating his time as well as honouring his personal commitment to donate a portion of his proceeds from his upcoming memoir by generously committing 1.5 million dollars to Sentebale.
“Sentebale is grateful for his personal contribution, which will allow the organisation to continue operating at full scale and continue providing critical services to at-risk youth in southern Africa.”
Harry and wife Meghan Markle‘s pal Omid Scobie shared the announcement on Twitter, declaring “Prince Harry is back on the field”.
‘NEW ERA OF VISIBILITY’
It comes just a day after Scobie, the preferred reporter of the Sussexes – who co-authored their biography Finding Freedom , said the couple are about to enter a new era of visibility.
He revealed that the “thriving” pair are “really excited” about the busy schedule ahead following the end of their parental leave.
“They’re a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction. They need to be on the ground,” Scobie told PEOPLE.
“They say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding.”
Meanwhile, a royal author accused Harry and Meghan of being “desperate to be on the front pages at every opportunity”.
Robert Jobson, who was friends with Princess Diana and has penned books on Philip and Charles, hit out at the “woke” couple after they released a wordy statement on Afghanistan.
The pair told fans they were “speechless” over the horror – but went on to detail their thoughts in a 218-word document.
In an interview with GB News, Mr Jobson called the Sussexes’ reaction “nonsense”.
“My feeling on this is that this is the couple that wanted their privacy, they craved their privacy,” he said.
“They are desperate to be on the front pages at every opportunity.
“How they can say they are experiencing how the world is on the edge from their £15million mansion in the heart of California, I really don’t know.”
