Prince Harry is reuniting with friends, old and new, to raise money for charity.
The Duke of Sussex took a break from diaper duty to travel to Aspen, Colo. for the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup on Thursday, Aug. 19. He was joined in the match by good friend and Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras.
According to a statement from the royal, the game was planned in accordance with local COVID-19 guidelines by the Sentebale organization with the intention of raising funds for children in Lesotho and Botswana who are impacted by the "extreme poverty, inequality, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic."
"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," Harry stated. "We are incredibly grateful to our gracious hosts in Aspen, to ISPS Handa and the many other sponsors, and to everyone involved in making this year's match not only possible—but most importantly, as safe as possible for the protection of donors, players, staff, and the entire community."
He continued, "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."
The 36-year-old father of two added that he intends to make "several donations" to charities in the near future, sharing, "I'm grateful to be able to give back in this way for the children and communities who gravely need it."
It's understood that the $1.5 million donation to Sentebale and other organizations will come from the proceeds of his upcoming memoir, which was announced in mid-July.
At the time, Prince Harry promised to write a memoir that is "accurate and wholly truthful," stating that it will focus on his own experiences and life lessons. "I'm writing this not as the prince I was born, but as the man I have become," Prince Harry shared. "I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story—the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned—I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think."
The Sentebale organization, which Harry co-founded, is an important part of the royal's personal and private life. In 2018, the polo match was one of the first Meghan Markle attended as his wife. Nacho was present for the occasion and commemorated the moment on his Instagram, writing, "This girl really rocks. The more I know you the more I am convinced that you both found each other to change the world."
It's unclear if Meghan and their two children, Archie Harrison and Lilibet "Lili" Diana, were able to cheer Harry on at the match.