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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Jennifer Newton

Meet Prince Harry's pal dubbed David Beckham of polo who would 'defend him with his life'

In just four weeks time, the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations to mark her incredible 70-year reign will be getting underway.

But despite the bumper bank holiday weekend being less than a month away, it's still not known if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will travel to the UK to join in the festivities.

And now it has emerged that Harry's polo team the Los Padres Polo team is due to play in a tournament in California on some of the dates when Jubilee celebrations are taking place.

Harry is part of the team with long-time friend Nacho Figueras, 45, who has been dubbed the David Beckham of polo and appears to play an important role in his life.

Prince Harry with friend Nacho Figueras in 2013 (Chris Jackson Collection)

So who is the model polo player that Harry could spend the Jubilee weekend with instead of his grandmother, the monarch? Here we take a look...

Polo star

Nacho, whose real name is Ignacio, hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and started playing polo at the age of just nine.

At the age of 14, he moved to a family friend's estate so he could ride horses every day and hone his skill.

By the time he was 17, he turned professional and started playing polo in locations all over Europe.

He then went on to become one of the most recognisable players of the sport with Tatler magazine once dubbing him the 'David Beckham of polo' in 2019.

Model life

The pair at a charity polo match in Rome in 2019 (Getty Images)

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But it hasn't just been polo that has seen Nacho thrust into the public eye.

Since 2000, he has been a model for the brand synonymous with the sport of polo, Ralph Lauren.

He has been the face of the company's Black Label since 2005 and has often been featured in glossy magazines and on TV.

Not only did polo lead Nacho to modelling, it also led to him meeting his wife Delfina Blaquier, the daughter of an Argentinian polo player.

Nacho is also a model for Ralph Lauren (Getty Images)
Nacho and wife Delfina Blaquier at Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 (Getty Images)

According to the Daily Mail, the pair met at a polo match in 1997 and started dating in 1998.

They tied the knot in 2005 and have four children - Hilario, Aurora, Artemio and Alba.

In 2009, he also earned the title of the second most handsome man in the world in a poll by the magazine Vanity Fair.

Royal connections

Nacho and wife Delfina with Harry and Meghan (Getty Images)

It was in 2007 that Nacho is believed to have struck up his long-standing friendship with Harry - who is also a keen polo player.

It came when the prince set up his charity Sentebale, which helps those affected by HIV, and Nacho became an ambassador for the cause.

And ever since, the pair have been seen together at countless charity polo matches over the years - with Nacho and his wife attending Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018.

Nacho once told Insider : "I think the fact that we both feel the same way about giving back obviously helps you to have a good relationship."

Their close friendship was confirmed in 2019 when Nacho spoke out about meeting Harry's son Archie just weeks after he was born.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nacho said: "I met the baby in London before playing polo with him in Rome, and he was very good with the baby. He’s a natural, he knows what to do.

"He’s already an amazing father. He’s always loved kids. We have been friends for a very long time and I’ve seen him spend time with children in all the things we do for Sentebale, so I never had a doubt about it. He loves children. He’s really happy."

Defending Harry 'with his life'

Prince Harry's close friend Nacho Figueras posted an image on his Instagram showing the pair at a polo match in Santa Barbara (aurorafigueras)

In 2019, Nacho appeared on the talk show of another of his well-known friends Ellen DeGeneres.

In the interview, Ellen asked him about his friendship with Harry and the scrutiny he and Meghan came under during their time as royals.

Talking of Harry, he said: "He is a wonderful man, someone who really cares. He's really committed. He really cares about children, and he cares about making the world a better place."

In the same chat, he was also full of praise for Meghan calling her an "incredible girl".

He added: "She gave up all of the things that she had to marry this man that she loves, which is great.

"And people think oh, how easy it is for you, a girl to go marry this guy. But nobody knows all the very hard things that go with this."

Before the interview aired on TV, Nacho posted a teaser clip of the chat on his Instagram page.

He then wrote: "Thank you my friend Ellen for opening the conversation on why love should be the answer when we talk about people that work so hard to make the world a better place.

"I will defend my friends @SussexRoyal with my life because they are making a difference and we should all be supporting and helping instead of attacking. Let's be kind to one another."

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