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News

Prince Harry meets youngsters in Barbados and plays in the first Sentebale Polo Cup

31st January 2010

Prince Harry visited poorly youngsters in a Barbados hospital, during a visit to the country to play in the inaugural fundraising Sentebale Polo Cup.

Prince Harry, 25, charmed the children on a paediatric ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital during a visit on Saturday 30th January, joking with the young patients.

The Prince toured the ward, which cares for children aged up to 16, interacting with the youngsters and their parents.

He stopped as he passed the patients' beds to touch the hands of sick youngster or share a joke with others including eight-year-old Dave Junior Maynard, a severe asthma sufferer, who pressed noses with Prince Harry.

He also spent time with baby Jean-Luc Jordan, aged seven weeks, and his father Michael, 42.

The baby had been admitted to hospital after contracting the flu and was being kept in because he had yet to have his inoculations.

When the infant's father offered the baby to Prince Harry, he expertly cradled the newborn in his arms who remained asleep.

Speaking about his encounter with The Prince, Mr Jordan said afterwards: "I was a great fan of his mother and a great fan of him too."

Later The Prince talked about following in the footsteps of his parents, in particular his mother Diana, Princess of Wales. He said: "I don't know if I can follow in her footsteps."

He added: "But William and I will always try to achieve what she achieved in the short space of time that she did - like mother, like son, like father, like son.

"Both she and our father, but her especially I suppose, had that sort of motherly touch to young children.

"I mean I'm obsessed with children, I don't know if they like me but you know they're great fun and you can never really say no to them."

The Prince also described how he loved to meet youngsters in the Caribbean, saying: "Especially in places like this and in Africa I love the way the kids are always so grateful for the smaller things in life.

"You can't fail to get this huge fulfilment and happiness from spending some time with children.

"As long as I can I will always try and stick with working with children."

He added: "No matter how old I am I will always have a kid inside me. The longer I spend with children, the longer that kid inside me will stick around."

The Prince later learned about Barbados' cultural heritage when he visited the island's national museum.

The Prince was joined by Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, co-founder of Sentebale, as they toured the institution's Africa gallery.

After looking at the artefacts, both Princes were quizzed by 20 youngsters from Bay Primary School in Bridgetown, where cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers was taught as a boy.

Questioned about Sentebale's mission by one youngster, Prince Harry replied: "Since starting up the charity, all we've ever wanted to do was make a difference - it's very easy to make a small difference but it's how long will that difference last for."

He added: "The mission is to touch as many lives as we can of vulnerable children within Lesotho, to improve a life that may not have otherwise lasted very long at all."

The Princes later toured the grounds of the museum and met young schoolchildren working on arts and crafts projects and sampled dishes made by two award-winning teenage chefs.

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso also met Second World War veterans and current members of the Armed Forces.

Later in his stay in Barbados, Prince Harry took part in the inaugural Sentebale Polo Cup - a sporting event which will become an annual fundraising fixture for his charity Sentebale.

Before the game began Prince Harry made a speech on behalf of his organisation which helps to improve the lives of impoverished children in the African kingdom of Lesotho.

The Prince also expressed his sympathy for the victims of the Haitian earthquake and spoke of how when "natural disaster strikes" eventually a sense of hope would follow.

Speaking to those gathered The Prince said: "It seems to be one of life's cruellest ironies that when natural disaster strikes - whether it be earthquake in Haiti, or years of drought and ravaging by HIV/Aids in Lesotho, it is always the most vulnerable the defenceless, normally the children, who are left exposed and needing more help.

"We seem so powerless to prevent these things from happening, but out of such tragedy, comes the purest of human reactions: love, charity, and, in time, a sense of renewed hope. This is really what Sentebale is about."

The charity is hoping a substantial amount will be raised from the polo event to further its work providing community projects in Lesotho with financial aid, management help and other types of support.

The Prince led his team against South African opponents in a hard fought match that his players eventually won.

The game was played in the beautiful setting of the Apes Hill polo club with the wealthy and influential of the Caribbean island gathered to watch the royal take to the field.

Visit the Sentebale website.

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