Updated

Updated · Harper's BAZAAR · Jul 11

Prince William's 15th Royal Charity Polo Cup Raises Over £1 Million for 10 UK Charities

Updated

Updated · Harper's BAZAAR · Jul 11

Prince William's 15th Royal Charity Polo Cup Raises Over £1 Million for 10 UK Charities

Q: Why must a left-handed Prince William play polo right-handed, revealing a rigid tradition hidden within the elite sport?

Prince William must play polo right-handed because the sport’s rules require every player to use the mallet in the right hand, regardless of natural handedness. The reason is safety, not royal custom. Polo is played at high speed, with horses, mallets and players converging in tight spaces. Requiring everyone to play from the same side helps keep movement predictable, reduces the risk of head-on clashes and dangerous crossing lines, and lowers the chance of collisions between horses and riders. In effect, the rule standardizes how players approach the ball and one another. That is why a naturally left-handed player such as William had to learn the game right-handed. Commentator Karl Ude Martinez noted this directly at the Royal Charity Polo Cup, where William played the defensive number four role in his team’s win at Guards Polo Club. The rule also illustrates how rigid polo’s traditions remain, even at the top of the sport and even for a senior royal from one of polo’s most prominent families. William’s father, King Charles III, and his grandfather, Prince Philip, are closely tied to the game’s history, yet the same non-negotiable playing rule applies. In that sense, William’s right-handed play exposes a deeper truth about elite polo: its hierarchy and heritage are strong, but its core safety conventions are stronger.

3 articles · Updated · Harper's BAZAAR · Jul 11

More than £1 million was raised at Friday's Royal Charity Polo Cup, Prince William's 15th appearance at the annual fundraiser for 10 UK charities.
The proceeds will support groups focused on children's medical and mental health care, veterans and serving military personnel, and farmers across the United Kingdom.
William and Princess Kate marked the milestone on Instagram, calling it 15 years of using sport to back charities making a lasting difference in the UK and abroad.
The event came during Prince Harry's visit to England, though he did not attend the match and instead spent the day at Highgrove House with King Charles, Queen Camilla, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet.