Prince Harry has reminded New Yorkers how much his mother loved their city, before climbing on to a pony for a rousing game of
polo. On a brilliantly sunny day on Governors Island in New York Harbour, the 24-year-old prince drew a crowd that included stars like Madonna, actresses Kate Hudson and Chloe Sevigny, and rapper LL Cool J. But also a lot of ordinary New Yorkers turned up for a rare sight: of a polo game in the city. The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic was a fundraiser for Sentebale, the charity that Harry has set up with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help poor children and Aids orphans in the small African nation. “Prince Seeiso and I both lost our mothers when we were very young,” Harry said in brief remarks before the match. “We set up Sentebale in their memory, and because my mother loved this city it makes this occasion all the more poignant for me.” His team, named after the charity, proceeded to defeat the opposing Black Watch team 6-5. Harry assisted on the winning goal in the last seconds, drawing the biggest cheer of the afternoon. Both teams included prominent polo stars like Argentine Nacho Figueras, also a Ralph Lauren model, who played for Black Watch. It was the second and final day of Harry’s first official visit to the US, which began with a sober trip on Friday to the site of the September 11 terrorist attack. On Saturday morning, the prince toured Harlem’s Children Zone, a community organisation that offers families social and educational services. He and Prince Seeiso chatted with students preparing for an exam.
“Who’s the best pupil” Harry asked. “I was always the worst!”