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Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling supported Prince William at the polo

Prince William cheered on by cousin Peter Phillips as he triumphs at polo - best photos

The Prince of Wales competed in the match to raise funds for causes close to his heart

HELLO!
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead
Updated: July 12, 2024
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The Prince of Wales is being supported on the polo field by his cousin, Peter Phillips, and Peter's new girlfriend, Harriet Sperling.

The loved-up couple are cheering on Prince William from the sidelines as he competes in the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup 2024 at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park.

The event will raise money for causes which William and the Princess of Wales are passionate about supporting, including the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

It comes after the Prince paid a personal tribute to "legend of rugby league" and MND campaigner Rob Burrow after his death from the disease last month.

It marks the 13th time William has played in the annual sporting fixture, which is set to generate £1 million this year to add to a running total of £13 million raised by the cup over the years.

"This year the event is set to take the total amount raised to more than £13,000,000 for well-deserving causes that the Prince and Princess are passionate about," Kensington Palace said ahead of the match.

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Other causes to benefit are Wales Air Ambulance, Mountain Rescue England & Wales, SHOUT, Child Bereavement UK, Royal African Society, Place2Be, Action for Children, The Blackthorn Rally, HMS Oardacious Fund and The Royal Marsden.

The polo match comes just days before England are set to face Spain in the Euro 2024 final, with football fan William expected to attend in his role as President of the FA.

See all the best photos from the polo in the gallery below…

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Prince William mingles with guests at polo© James Whatling

Mingling with guests

The Prince of Wales, who donned a smart blazer, shirt and trousers, chatted with guests, spectators and supporters ahead of the match.

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Prince William wearing suit for arrival at polo© James Whatling

All smiles

William inherited his love of polo from his father, King Charles, and his late great-grandfather, Prince Philip.

He and brother Harry have played the sport from a young age.

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Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling holding hands© Max Mumby

Loved-up display

William's cousin, Peter Phillips and his girlfriend, Harriet Sperling, held hands as they arrived at the match. 

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Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling at the polo© James Whatling

Summery look

Harriet looked elegant in a floral-print dress from royal fashion favourite, Beulah London, teaming her ensemble with pink and green espadrilles from Penelope Chilvers and a white Anya Hindmarch crossbody bag. 

Ever the cool couple, Harriet and Peter sported FINLAY sunglasses for their outing. 

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Peter and Harriet supported William at the match© James Whatling

Latest outing

The couple's appearance at the polo comes just days after they joined Queen Camilla in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

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Prince William in his polo outfit© Getty

Ready to play

William grinned with his teammates as he got ready to compete in the match. 

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Prince William playing polo on a horse© Getty

Player Four

William looked thrilled to be back in the saddle. The royal family has a long association with equestrian sports, with Prince Philip paving the way for carriage driving for the likes of Lady Louise Windsor. 

The Princess Royal became the first royal to compete at the Olympics, participating in the 1976 Games in Montreal. Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall also won a silver medal for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics. 

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Prince William playing polo© Mark Cuthbert

Action Prince!

William showed off his skills on the polo field as you can see in this spectacular action shot.

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Prince William smiling while in polo uniform and holding a mallet© Mark Cuthbert

Princely smile

The sport is a firm favourite of the heir to the throne, and he could be seen beaming during a less hectic part of the game.

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Prince William holding a gorilla trophy© Chris Jackson

Winning trophy

William played in a defensive role for the match, but his team ultimately emerged victorious at the match. The event raised £1 million for causes close to William's heart.

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Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling during the Royal Charity Polo match at Castle Ground© Getty

Summer of love

Peter's romance with Harriet was confirmed in May, following their appearance at the Badminton Horse Trials. 

They also stepped out together at the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo at the Beaufort Club in Tetbury and Royal Ascot last month. 

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Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips walk across polo field© Getty

All about Peter and Harriet

Harriet is a writer, an NHS nurse and a mother to one daughter. She penned a story for Woman Alive magazine about her experience of raising her daughter alone.

Meanwhile, Peter, who is head of partner acquisition for the sports and entertainment rights agency CSM Sport & Entertainment, shares daughters, Savannah, 13, and Isla, 12, with ex-wife Autumn.

Rules of polo

Playing field and equipment

Played on grass, with a ball and mallets the principle pieces. A standard polo pitch measures up to 270 metres by 150 metres. The ball weighs around 4.5 ounces and the mallets measure 49 to 54 inches. Riders require a protective equestrian helmet, knee-length boots, spurs and a whip. Two gloves with wristbands are worn too. Polo jerseys are numbered one to four and relate to player positions.

Protagonists 

Two teams comprising four players each (and their horses!). Team members are either assigned to 'defence' or 'attack'. 

Duration

Matches last about one and a half to two hours and are divided into seven-and-a-half-minute periods called chukkas. There are either four or six chukkas in a match, divided by halftime. During halftime, spectators are asked to tend to divots on the field.

Matchplay

To start the match, an official rolls the ball into play. Players score by driving the ball between the open posts of the opposing goal which measures 7.3 metres in width.. There is no rule on how high the ball can travel through the air. Teams change ends after each goal. Fouls are divided into crosses, foul hooks and dangerous engagements. In the event of foul, a penalty is awarded during which the transgressing team must be positioned a minimum of 27.4 metres from the ball. The team which scores the most goals wins. In the event of a draw, sudden death overtime is played in which the first team to score triumphs. 

Credit: The UK Rules

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