Prince Harry Wins Charity Polo Match With Touching Link to Princess Diana

Prince Harry steered his team to victory on Thursday in the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup in Aspen, Colorado, scoring five goals in the round robin tournament that raised money for a charity with a touching link to Princess Diana.

The prince headed the Sentebale team playing in blue and white colors which included long-time friend and Argentinian polo professional Nacho Figueras.

Harry founded the Sentebale charity in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help children and young people in the southern African countries of Lesotho and Botswana affected by HIV and AIDS.

The two princes paid tribute to the work of their late mothers Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato, who were both involved with helping HIV/AIDS patients and causes, by naming the charity in their honor.

Sentebale means "forget-me-not" in in the Sesotho language spoken in Lesotho, a word that takes on particular significance in 2022 as Harry prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana on August 31.

In a pre-charity match announcement shared by Harry and Meghan Markle biographer Omid Scobie on Twitter, Harry said:

"We are delighted to return once again to the stunning grounds of Aspen Valley Polo Club for the annual Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup. Sixteen years ago, Prince Seeiso and I founded Sentebale in honor of our mothers' work in HIV, and named after my mum's favorite flower, the 'forget-me-not' in Sesotho, representing our commitment to always remembering and advocating for those in need.

"We are all proud of the support we are able to give the young people of Lesotho and Botswana to feel empowered, healthy, resilient and able to thrive. The funds raised this year will be invested in these communities at a critical time, as inequalities have been exacerbated by the pandemic."

Harry's pride will have extended to his team's performance on the polo field as they stormed to victory in Thursday's tournament assisted by his friend Figueras who is also a Sentebale ambassador.

In an Instagram message posted after the charity match, Figueras said:

"What a blessing to be able to do what you love, with the people you love while helping others. Proud of the support we are able to give the young people of Lesotho and Botswana to feel empowered, healthy, resilient, and able to thrive."

Meghan Markle did not travel to Aspen with Harry for the event though she did attend the charity game in 2018 at Guards Polo Club in Windsor just months after the royal wedding and has been regularly seen at a number of her husband's polo matches over the years.

Meghan has had her own success this week with the release of the first episode of her solo podcast Archetypes, seeing the series hit the number one spot in the Spotify charts on either side of the Atlantic.

This year has seen Harry play his first full polo season at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club a short distance from the Montecito home he moved into with his family in 2020 after stepping down as a full-time working royal.

The prince is a member of the "Los Padres" team alongside Figueras, named in honor of their shared joy in becoming fathers.

The prince's pre-match reference to Sentebale being named in honor of Princess Diana follows a number of touching tributes he has paid to his mother throughout the year which marks a milestone anniversary since her death.

Perhaps the most personal of these tributes was paid in April when the royal traveled to the Netherlands for the 2022 Invictus Games.

Speaking to People magazine at the time, Harry expressed his hope that he continues to make Diana proud in the decisions he makes.

"I certainly hope and believe everything I do makes her proud," he said.

"In the 12 short years I was lucky enough to have with her, I saw and felt the energy and lift she got from helping others, no matter their background, ailment or status. Her life and theirs was better for it, however short theirs or hers was."

He then ended by saying, "I honor my mother in everything I do. I am my mother's son."

Most recently the royal referenced Diana during his keynote speech delivered to the United Nations in honor of Nelson Mandela International Day.

Harry, alongside Meghan, are due to embark on a visit to Europe in the first week of September to attend a number of charity events which includes time spent in Britain. Though the prince will arrive in his home country in the days after the anniversary of Diana's death there are no public royal plans to commemorate this.

Newsweek approached Sentebale and representatives of Prince Harry for comment.