Sometimes known as the "sport of kings," polo has long been associated with royalty. It's a fairly strenuous sport, but one that also requires dexterity and strategy. For the British Royal Family, many generations of men have played the sport, and the events and matches are often invitation-only.
Often, the most interesting aspect of polo is the guest list itself. When then-Prince Charles started dating Diana, for example, she began appearing as his guest at various matches. The below photos provide some off-the-cuff, casual moments from royalty and their families—a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most famous people in the world. Below, candid photos of the Royal Family at polo matches.
1923
Per the original caption, Edward, then-Prince of Wales, was playing polo at Hurlingham in a match between Oxford and Cambridge. Edward learned the sport while he was at university and was reportedly an avid horseman. (Apparently, King George VI, his brother, played polo too.)
1951
Per the caption, Prince Philip sat upon his polo pony "during a game of polo, after previously being dismounted, playing for Destroyer Command against Royal Artillery, Malta." Philip was a fan of the sport and helped spread that enthusiasm to other Royal Family members.
1955
Polo matches drew some very famous watchers. From the far left, "Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Anne at the Ascot Week polo tournament in Windsor Great Park." Princess Alice was an aunt by marriage to Elizabeth.
1987
Polo matches could be an opportunity to see the Royal Family spending time together in a less formal way; Queen Elizabeth bent to chat with Prince Harry and Prince William while the boys watched polo (in sweet matching outfits adorned with cars and other vehicles).
1977
We got a fascinating look into Royals' dating lives during polo events. Per the original caption, this appeared to be Charles and "a friend" (believed to be Lady Camilla Fane, later Camilla Hipwood, daughter of the 15th Earl of Westmorland).
1982
A pregnant Princess Diana spoke to Prince Charles "during a polo event at Windsor Great Park in Windsor." It's not clear exactly when this photo was taken, but Prince William would be born in June that same year. Diana, and later the children, would be a common presence at polo matches.
1985
Princess Diana was, per the caption, at "Cirencester Polo Club with her maroon red Ford Escort Cabriolet car" (what a fascinating detail). Diana's polo outfits were a thing of beauty; she dressed more casually over time, and one of her most emulatable outfits of all time is on this list.
2011
In this photo, William and Kate were arriving at The Foundation Polo Challenge at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in California. The two had gotten married just a few months before, and this would have been one of their first appearances post-ceremony.
2023
The Royal Family didn't just watch polos or participate in them as fundraisers for charities they supported. They also were very active as players. Here, Prince William took part in the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup 2023 at Guards Polo Club, Flemish Farm.
1955
Per the caption, "Prince Philip, captain of the Windsor Park Team, with the Windsor Cup after his team beat India during the Ascot Week polo tournament of which he is sponsor." Queen Elizabeth stood smilingly by his side—Philip was very into polo, apparently.
1983
Diana, looking gorgeous in a white patterned blouse, watched a polo match in Cirencester. This would have still been early in Diana's marriage to Charles and not long after William had been born (1982), with the appearance serving as a semi-return to family normalcy.
2018
Spouses have often actively attended polo events. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club shortly after their marriage that same year. (They would confirm their first pregnancy in October 2018).
1987
Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry (being carried by his nanny, Ruth Wallace) attended the Guards Polo Club in Windsor. It was around this time that Diana began channeling her more individual fashion aesthetic, as with this yellow oversized blazer.
2019
Proof that polo matches could be chaotic affairs: Kate, Prince Louis, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte attended The King Power Royal Charity Polo Day at Billingbear Polo Club, with the children racing about while Louis (presumably) enjoyed a tasty treat.
1973
The fashion at polo matches was a thing to behold, including for the Queen when the matches or events were more formal. In this case, the very brightly colored Elizabeth attended Smiths Lawn Windsor after Ascot Races—dressed in lime so to be more visible to onlookers.
2013
A sweet look at the Princes' jovial camaraderie during the Jerudong Trophy at Cirencester Park Polo Club. The two grew up watching their father and even had the chance to play together. (The two continued to play and show interest in the sport as adults.)
2018
Here, Kate, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte attended the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy at Beaufort Park. If you're curious, Prince Louis had been born a few months before, but would have been awfully young to attend a polo match. Two rambunctious kids was plenty to manage.
1989
Attending the Cartier International Polo Day at the Guards Polo Club, Smiths Lawn, Windsor Great Park, Prince William smiled up as his mother, squinting in the sun. Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, sat behind them; Diana wore a Catherine Walker dress and stylish sunglasses.
2023
Per the original caption, Kate and William stood together "after the Royal Charity Polo Cup 2023 at Guards Polo Club during the Outsourcing Inc. Royal Polo Cup at Guards Polo Club, Flemish Farm." Kate opted for a more upscale outfit for this more formal match.
2024
One of the most enjoyable aspects of a polo match is the play itself, particularly watching the Royals on horseback. Here, Prince Harry Prince "competes during the Royal Salute Polo Challenge benefitting Sentebale at Grand Champions Polo Club on April 12, 2024, in Wellington, Florida."
1981
This was quite the time capsule photo: "Lady Diana Spencer and Sarah Ferguson talking together at a polo match in the 1980s before either married a royal prince." Again, the casual nature of polo matches meant we sometimes got behind-the-scenes images like this.
2022
Here, Kate "attends the Royal Charity Polo Cup 2022 at Guards Polo Club during the Outsourcing Inc. Royal Polo Cup at Guards Polo Club, Flemish Farm." But obviously the funniest aspect was the royal and the horse staring—directly—into each other's eyes.
1987
There to cheer on their father, "Prince William holding a red tartan umbrella behind his brother Prince Harry, both wearing waxed jackets and Wellington boots, attend n polo match at Cirencester Park Polo Club on the Cirencester Park estate in Cirencester, Gloucestershire."
2002
Per the original caption, Harry and William were "taking part in a sports funday at Tidworth Polo Club raising money for Inspire—a charity for people with spinal cord injuries—and playing for The British Forces Foundation polo team for the Indian Cavalry Polo Trophy."
2019
Several weeks after Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born, Royal fans caught a glimpse of him. Meghan and Harry were taking part in the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day at Billingbear Polo Club, with Meghan shielding Archie's face while the two walked.
2019
Prince Louis hammed it up (presumably with his mother's sunglasses) while Meghan and his baby cousin Archie looked on. Archie would have only been two months when this photo was taken, and fans were excited to see the young families interact together.
1958
A beautiful shot from behind showed Elizabeth with Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Smith's Lawn in Windsor Great Park. Princess Anne, short curly hair styled much like her mother's, looked back while Charles stared quietly at the pitch. Polo was very much a family activity.
1976
Per the caption, "Prince Charles [was] with his Jack Russell terrier Tigga at Smith's Lawn polo ground in Windsor, Surrey." Charles was not yet 30 in this photo, and it was a reminder of how young the Royal really was despite all the responsibilities he carried.
1988
Here with William at Guards Polo Club, this might be one of Diana's most famous outfits ever—one that fans point to as an example of her effortlessly casual style. The slim jeans, tucked into cowboy boots, with the blazer and British Lung Foundation logo on her tee: perfection.
1972
Polo matches: loaded with drama about potential (and actual) relationships. Regarding the timeline, Charles and Camilla had met in 1970 and split in 1971—but speculation about their connection continued until Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973.
1987
Nanny Ruth Wallace literally chased after a blue-clad Prince Harry racing away at the Guards Polo Club at Smiths Lawn in Windsor. Harry wouldn't even have been 3 years old here, and photos like these serve as a poignant throwback to the Prince's childhood.
1981
Of all the famous Royal photos from polo activities, this one is probably the most well-known. Princess Diana, who at this point was to be married to Charles the following month, always considered herself a "black sheep" in the Royal Family. This sweater from Muir & Osborne literalized that.
