Prince Harry is set to release a new Netflix series about professional polo - and while the Duke of Sussex has long been a talented player, one of his best friends is such a prominent figure he is considered the ‘David Beckham’ of the polo world. Nacho Figueras, who plays alongside the prince in the US, has the star power and dashing appearance to match. So who is Nacho Figueras, and will he be starring in Harry’s new Netflix series? Here, Tatler reveals all…
Their friendship is understood to date back to 2007, a year after Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help children in Africa affected by poverty, inequality, HIV/AIDS and, more recently, Covid-19. ‘From day one, I saw how committed he was to his charity,’ Figueras said in a previous interview. ‘Fast forward 15 years, I’ve been to Lesotho with him a few times, and I’ve seen what great work the charity does and how important it is for a lot of kids, how committed he is, how much he really cares about it.’
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear to have a busy few months coming up, with a number of non-fiction projects in the works
The pair bonded for their commitment to charity work and their love of family – Figueras is a father-of-four and devoted husband to Delfina Blaquier. Indeed, the polo player was among the first to learn about the prince’s budding relationship with Meghan Markle in 2017. ‘He looked at us and said “guys, I met a girl, we’ve just met but I think this might be the one”,’ Figueras said on the Netflix series Harry & Meghan. ‘You could tell right away that those eyes were those of someone who'd fallen in love.’
When Harry and Meghan welcomed son Archie in 2019, Nacho was among the first to meet him. That same year, he memorably told TV presenter Ellen Degeneres that he would ‘defend his friends’ with his life if it was required – proof of his all-in attitude to loyalty.
The friendship has blossomed since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to the US, with Harry and Nacho both playing on the Los Padres team. Among their fixtures last year was the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at Aspen Valley Polo Club. Away from polo, Nacho has graced fashion campaigns for Ralph Lauren and has released a range of fragrances, including one named ‘Windsor’ that captured ‘brotherhood and kindred spirits’ – an obvious nod to his royal friend.
The Prince of Wales and his eldest son were seen in the Villa Park stands as they cheered on their football team
Last year, the pair visited Tokyo for the start of a mini Asian tour on behalf of Prince Harry's charity, Sentebale.
