Who is Nacho Figueras, as he accompanies Prince Harry to Singapore for a charity polo match?

Polo has been one of the sports that many associate the Royal family with; we’ve seen photos of a young King Charles III dressed up to play “the sport of kings,” as Hello! Magazine once described the sport. Fitting then that Harry, Duke of Sussex, is making his return to the pitch for the annual Sentebale ISPS (International Sports Promotion Society) Handa Polo Cup, which will be held at the Singapore Polo Club on August 12 2023.

The annual event is held to raise funds for Sentebale, a charity that was established by the British prince and Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso in 2006 to provide psychosocial support for children living with HIV in southern Africa. It would mark the first time Harry would be playing a game of Polo in the Southeast Asian country since 2017 - when he also took part in the charity event.

Discussing his involvement in the Handa Polo Cup this year, the Duke of Sussex said “The annual Polo Cup is essential to Sentebale’s vital work ensuring children and young people are healthy, resilient, and able to thrive. The funds raised this year will support our Clubs and Camps programme, which provides intensive psychosocial support to young people living with HIV.”

“In a time where being HIV-positive is no longer a death sentence, we are empowering young people to know their status, stay healthy, and eliminate the stigma so that they can break the cycle.”

The Handa Polo Cup has raised more than £11 million (S$18.8 million) for charity since 2010, and joining Harry for this year’s event is his friend and fellow Polo enthusiast, Argentinian Nacho Figueras.

Who is Nacho Figueras?

He’s been dubbed the “David Beckham of Polo,” and with good cause too; Nacho Figueras may have made his name in the world of polo, but his modelling career that took place parallel to his sporting passion made him a more familiar face to those who don’t follow the “sport of kings.”

Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras Bermejo was born on March 4, 1977, in Veinticinco de Mayo, Buenos Aires. He grew up in a middle-class family on a small farm outside the city. At the age of 9, he started playing polo with polo player Lucas Monteverde during weekend visits to his estate. At 14, he moved to Monteverde's estate to pursue polo more seriously.

His professional polo career in Paris at the age of 17 before joining White Birch, a team shared by Peter Brant and Neil Hirsch in Bridgehampton, New York. In his quest to raise the profile of the sport, Figueras has organized polo matches and events, including the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. He co-hosted the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic with Cameron Silver in Los Angeles, attracting celebrities and socialites. Currently, he plays for and captains Black Watch Polo Team, which he co-owns with Neil Hirsch.

But his modelling career began when he was approached by photographer Bruce Weber at a dinner party. He started modelling for Ralph Lauren in 2000 and later became the face of Ralph Lauren Black Label in 2005. He has been under contract with Ralph Lauren since then. He also promoted the World of Polo fragrances and in June 2009, he was voted the second most handsome man in the world by the readers of Vanity Fair magazine with 15% of the vote, far behind Robert Pattinson, who drew 51%, and ahead of Brad Pitt, who drew 12%.

Figueras has been married to fellow Argentine Delfina Blaquier, a photographer and former model, since 2004. The couple has four children: Hilario (born in 2000), Aurora (born in 2005), Artemio (born in 2010), and Alba (born in 2013).