Prince William in action at the charity polo match - Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images

The Prince of Wales was back in the saddle for his annual charity polo match on Friday, raising £1 million for his chosen causes.

Prince William, a keen polo player since childhood, took part in the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup 2025 at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, just a stone’s throw from his family home.

However, the Princess, who in years past has shown her support from the sidelines, opted to miss the event for the second consecutive year.

The Princess, who attended the glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, when she was seated alongside Emmanuel Macron, the French president, is maintaining a reduced programme as she continues her recovery post cancer treatment.

Prince William in his 14th outing at the event - Doug Peters/Alamy

Tennis fans are hoping that she will make an appearance in the Royal Box at Wimbledon this weekend, presenting the trophies to the winners and runners-up in her role as patron of the All England Club.

The Prince’s participation in the polo match marked the 14th time he has taken part in the event, which has raised a total £14 million.

As always, the funds raised will be distributed across ten charities and causes supported by both the Prince and Princess.

The Prince of Wales (second right) gets ready for the match - Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Peter Phillips, the Prince’s cousin, and his girlfriend Harriet Sperling were among the guests who watched three teams compete, also joining a champagne reception followed by a charity silent auction and lunch.

Karl Ude-Martinez, the match commentator and a former polo player, joked about the Royal’s prowess with the mallet: “He doesn’t play regularly, he’s going have to stretch after this one.”

The Prince played as a number four, a defensive role, but managed to score one goal, which helped his team clinch the cup.

“It trickled in, it wasn’t pretty but we’ll claim that one,” said Mr Ude-Martinez.

Peter Phillips and his girlfriend Harriet Sperling were in attendance - Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Singer Katherine Jenkins and her husband Andrew Levitas - Chris Jackson/Getty Images

This year’s recipients include Child Bereavement UK, Family Action, NHS Charities Together and the British Red Cross.

Fields in Trust, of which the Prince is patron, will also benefit. The Prince recently handed over the presidency of the charity, which was long associated with the late prince Philip, his grandfather, to Jill Scott, the former England footballer.

The pair were photographed together during England’s Euros match against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Lady Victoria Hervey was among the guests at the event - Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Another charity to benefit from the funds raised is We Are Farming Minds, set up to help farmers experiencing isolation and mental health issues. The charity is supported by the Duchy of Cornwall and the Prince recently became its patron.

The Royal African Society, the Anna Freud Centre and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices were also named as recipients.

Tony Adams, the former England and Arsenal football captain, is chairman of trustees at the Forward Trust, which helps people recover from addictions and mental health problems and boasts the Princess as its royal patron.

He said: “Most charities are coming up against huge problems with fundraising…there’s other charities out there, children’s charities and cancer charities but addiction is way down the line.

“I mean, if you’ve got mental health and addiction issues, it’s incredibly difficult to get the funding, this is why we need these events.

“The Princess has been very supportive and taken away the stigma of this illness and, putting it out there, it’s not a weakness, it’s a strength to come forward.”

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