What’s On has news of Prince Harry in Abu Dhabi to play in the Sentebale Polo Cup to help raise money and awareness for the Prince Harry charity Sentebale.


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Prince Harry will lead a polo team in action in Abu Dhabi later this month, a year after hosting a charity dinner in Dubai.

The British Royal is the star turn at the Sentebale Polo Cup, which takes place at the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club on November 20. Now in its fourth year, the event will also mark 10 years since a gap year visit to Lesotho prompted the Prince to launch his charity alongside the country’s own Prince Seeiso.

Presented by Royal Salute World Polo, the event raises money and awareness of Sentebale’s work in providing healthcare and education to vulnerable children in the southern African nation, many of whom are live in poverty and the threat of HIV/AIDs.

Previous matches have taken place in the UK, Brazil and the USA, with this year’s seeing the Prince, who is third in line to the British throne, represent Sentebale Huntsman against Figueras St Regis. England captain and Royal Salute Polo Ambassador Malcolm Borwick will also feature in a match that will be attended to by world dignitaries. Admittance is by invitation only.

“Sentebale is delighted to be hosting our Sentebale Polo Cup in Abu Dhabi this year,” a spokesman said. “This event is extremely important to the charity, and allows us to continue to help and support some of the most vulnerable children in the world, through our work in Lesotho. We are very grateful for the generous support of all our sponsors who make this possible.”

Sentebale, which means ‘forget me not’ in Sesotho, last year raised more than Dhs22 million during a dinner held at the JW Marriott Marquis hotel in Dubai, and supported by  the Al Jalila Foundation, a children’s charity set up by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

Speaking at the event, Prince Harry said: “You can help provide a safety net for HIV positive children for whom no other support exists. You can help extinguish the stigma of AIDS for these children. There is an entire generation of children and young people who have very little information about their condition, including how to stay healthy and how to prevent infecting others.

“Sentebale’s guiding vision is to give this generation the support they need to shape a prosperous future for themselves and their families. Talking about HIV and understanding it isn’t dangerous. Denying it, or not knowing about it, definitely is.”

As part of his visit to the Middle East, Prince William’s younger brother will also visit Oman for the first time, attending National Day there on November 18.