Prince Harry bared his chest at his latest polo match in California on Friday as a row brews over he and Meghan’s attendance at the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in London next month.
The Duke of Sussex was changing his shirt on the sidelines and having sun cream applied, before warming up for the match, held the same day as his son Archie’s third birthday.
He was spotted at the game as it was announced that he and Meghan, along with Prince Andrew, will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday, June 2.
Palace aides are said to be concerned that attention surrounding a Netflix film crew following Harry and Meghan as part of their multi-million deal with the streaming giant could detract from proceedings.
Aides are reportedly planning to prevent the Netfilx crew filming inside any Jubilee events.
At the game in Santa Barbara, California, the prince was helped with the wardrobe change, with attendees catching a glimpse of his chest as he switched clothing.
Prince Harry was seen semi-shirtless by onlookers at the polo in Santa Barbara, California on Friday as he swapped shirts and had sun cream applied before a warm-up
Duke of Sussex was helped with sun cream and the wardrobe change, with attendees catching a glimpse of the prince’s chest
The Duke of Sussex was changing into a white t-shirt on the sidelines, before warming up for the match. He is seen leaning forward and having sun cream applied
Prince Harry leans forward and is helped with his shirt at the match. He was spotted following the announcement that he and Meghan, along with Prince Andrew, will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday, June 2
The prince recently joined polo team Los Padres, having played the sport for most of his life.
The club is run by his friend Nacho Figueras, who said he was ‘excited’ for the duke to join the ranks.
‘My polo team has a platform where we use the sport and the platform to raise awareness for charities. Harry’s going to be a part of this team,’ he told KCLU.
On Friday, palace officials announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be allowed to stand on Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour, in a decision made by the Queen.
The Duke was warming up for a polo match. He recently joined polo team Los Padres, having played the sport for most of his life
The prince leans forward with his hands together in the warm-up before the polo match
The Duke places one arm near his hip as he bends down to touch the floor, at the game on Friday, the same day as his son Archie’s birthday
Prince Harry stretched with his shirt lifting to expose his mid-riff, at a match held the same day as his son Archie’s third birthday
The prince pushes his shoulders back and practices his movement ahead of the game on Friday in California
She has decided that non-working royals will not stand on the balcony, with the plan also removing Prince Andrew from the viewing platform.
Moments after the announcement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that they will attend some of the Jubilee celebrations with their children Archie and Lilibet.
But a team of palace aides will be put in place to stop the Netflix crew from filming inside the palace for any of the documentary about the couple’s lives.
They do not want the celebrations to be ‘exploit[ed]’ by the production team, after the couple signed the £112million deal in September 2020.
Harry on his polo pony during the chukka he took part in last month. On Friday, the prince was pictured ahead of his latest match
The Queen, Meghan and Prince Harry watch a flypast from Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018. The Queen has chosen not to invite them back on to the balcony for her jubilee next month – but the Sussexes say they will be coming to the UK for celebrations
It is understood that courtiers have said Netflix cameras will not be allowed in Royal properties including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Pictured, the couple with the Queen at the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace on June 26, 2018
‘Even if they accept that their Netflix crew can’t go into Buckingham Palace to film, they could cause problems – and at the very least cause a major distraction,’ a source told The Sun.
‘Senior courtiers believe that Netflix will see it as one big opportunity to exploit their mega-millions agreement with the couple.’
It is understood that courtiers have said Netflix cameras will not be allowed in Royal properties including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
However the film crew could mix with crowds and shadow the couple while they are in VIP areas at public events for the Jubilee.
They may also try to join the couple inside other key locations, such as St Paul’s Cathedral, during the four days of celebrations.
Last month, around 30 crew joined them at the Invictus Games, in The Netherlands.
On Friday, royal experts warned that Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK risks becoming the ‘focus’ of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The couple announced their comeback just minutes after it was revealed they were banned from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
A sensational statement at 3pm said the couple – as well as the Duke of York – would not be invited onto the balcony for Trooping the Colour, the spectacular start of her long weekend of celebrations.
Last month, around 30 Netflix crew joined the couple at the Invictus Games, in The Netherlands
Tom Bower told MailOnline on Friday: ‘They have been forced to accept a downgraded role – grouped with all the other VIPs – but are clearly desperate not to be excluded. If the Palace is not remarkably careful, the Sussexes will milk the celebrations for their own benefit.
‘Hopefully, the Sussexes will be kept firmly in check to avoid their selfish interests dominating the celebration of the Queen’s awe-inspiring service to Britain.’
Royal author Angela Levin said the Queen had made a ‘great decision’ to restrict the balcony to working royals, adding: ‘It will have such a different positive atmosphere if there are working royals who support Her Majesty.’
On the Sussexes’ decision to attend other events she said: ‘The focus will be on them and how they behave, which the Jubilee shouldn’t be about’.
Richard Fitzwilliams, another commentator, added: ‘There was [a danger] in the run up to it if this hadn’t been settled. I expect there will be an element of this in the US coverage.
‘However though there will still be a lot of speculation about what they will attend and what they will do, this is about one person. It is the Queen’s wish that they attend.
‘Although when they planned to do the Oprah interview they didn’t know Prince Philip would be ill, they nonetheless went ahead. That won’t be forgotten.
‘But the Queen wants the family to put on a united front. A huge amount has gone on behind the scenes to achieve this.’
The Monarch is joined on the Buckingham Palace balcony by members of the royal family for the Jubilee in 2019. Prince Andrew, who was at his mother’s left hand that day, has also been excluded from this year’s event
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