Harry's bromance with pal dubbed 'Beckham of polo' who'd 'defend him with life'
Prince Harry may not be with Meghan Markle on his trip to both Japan and Singapore - but that doesn't mean he's travelling totally solo.
That's because he has been joined by long-time best pal and superstar polo player Nacho Figueras, with the pair enjoying a close friendship that goes back over 15 years. The two men were seen arriving in Tokyo together, attending a sports summit and even shopping for gifts for their wives together on the fun-filled trip.
Nacho has previously been very protective of his royal mate - and even once remarked that he would defend him with his life. But who exactly is Nacho and how did he and Harry hit it off? 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 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.
Prince Harry and pal Nacho Figueras leave Japan to travel to Singapore (Masatoshi Okauchi/REX/Shutterstock)
The pals went shopping together in Tokyo (Nacho Figueras/Instagram)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.
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Model life
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. 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
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/AIDs, and Nacho became an ambassador for the cause.
Nacho and wife Delfina with Harry and Meghan (Getty Images)And ever since, the pair have been seen together at countless charity polo matches, with Nacho once telling Insider : "I think the fact that we both feel the same way about giving back obviously helps you to have a good relationship."
The two men are so close that in Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix series, the polo player makes an appearance and tells the show how the prince confided in him after sharing a first date with Meghan and how he and Delfina had a double date with them in the early days of their romance.
He said: "He looked at us and said, 'guys, I met a girl, we've just met but I think this might be the one.' You could tell right away that those eyes were those of someone who'd fallen in love."
Shortly after in May 2018, Nacho and his wife attended the Sussexes' wedding at Windsor Castle alongside members of the Royal Family including the late Queen, King Charles and the now Prince and Princess of Wales. However, the pair risked getting on the wrong side of their pals when Nacho shared an Instagram snap featuring a highly-secretive invitation to the wedding reception - before quickly deleting it.
Nacho is also a model for Ralph Lauren (Getty Images)
Nacho and wife Delfina at Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 (Getty Images)But their close friendship was confirmed in 2019 when Nacho spoke out about meeting Harry's son Archie just weeks after he was born, becoming one of his first visitors.
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'
In 2019, Nacho appeared on the talk show of another of Harry's 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.
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Harry and Nacho during a polo match last year (aurorafigueras)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."
Last year on Harry's birthday, Nacho also shared a special photo of the pair with the message: "Happy birthday!! Love you!!" While several months earlier after they had played in a polo tournament together he also posted a snap of them on the polo field together with the message: "What a joy to see u smile and be so happy. I love being your teammate"
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