As I do most mornings, I glanced through the British tabloid headlines about the left-behind Windsors and the Sussexes. Prince Harry’s scheduled visit to the UK next week has brought out all of the usual nutjobs, and they’re all swearing up and down that Harry must “beg” for forgiveness and that “everyone hates Meghan” and that’s why she’s blanking an entire country. There’s been a five-year effort by the royal establishment and the British media to “monster” the Sussexes, and the fact that the same people keep screaming the same old hysterical talking points tells you a lot about how ineffective the campaign has been. Speaking of, Harry and Meghan are on the cover of the latest issue of Polo Lifestyles Magazine. The mag used a lovely photo for the cover, and there was a really sweet article about the Sussexes’ trip to Palm Beach three weeks ago: “The Duke & Duchess Sparkle at Polo.”
In a star-studded event featuring the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Fla., hosted the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in support of Sentebale, a charity co-founded in 2006 by The Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.
The Duchess of Sussex mingled with guests in attendance, including tennis star Serena Williams, and presented the trophy to the winning team. The couple’s presence in Wellington’s equestrian community sparked online chatter about his-and-hers Netflix specials potentially showcasing polo. There was no comment from the royal couple on the subject.
Instead, they provided the sparkle and chemistry the world has grown to not only love, but to expect, from the modern royal couple. After six years of marriage, headlines and a transatlantic relocation for security purposes, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can wow the people around them with a glance or moment of tenderness.
“Me,” mouthed Prince Harry to his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as she climbed up on the ceremonial podium and walked toward him with the trophy for a sweet, celebratory kiss at the conclusion of the match. The crowd swooned.
After the match, Prince Harry said, “Bringing together the polo community that has long supported the work of Sentebale is always a great experience. Today, we raised funds to support our local teams on the ground deliver life-changing programs. The Sentebale team’s commitment plays an essential role in the lives of children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana, offering them hope, education and the means to combat the complex social challenges they face including high unemployment, poverty and the impact of HIV/AIDS.”
The pro-am polo charity match at Grand Champions and post-game dinner for 280 invited guests, hosted by the Ganzis at Santa Rita Polo Farm, highlighted the importance of the programs in Lesotho and Botswana affected by issues of health, unemployment, inequity and climate change and how the sport of polo can help promote the charity’s vital work. The polo match, in combination with other events from the week, including a dinner and panel at Zaytinya in South Beach, and Sotheby’s benefit auction, raised a total of $1 million for the organization.
Is Polo Lifestyles part of the Sussex Squad now? “They provided the sparkle and chemistry the world has grown to not only love, but to expect, from the modern royal couple.” I love it! “After six years of marriage, headlines and a transatlantic relocation for security purposes…” Amazing – just ignore all of the other sh-t and say “they moved to America for their safety, end of story.” It’s even true. Anyway, yes, Harry and Meghan looked amazing at the polo match. There was so much seething in the UK, and they’re still mad that Meghan won’t come back and wave at them.
Cover courtesy of Polo Lifestyles, photos courtesy of Cover Images.