Cricket fanPrince Harryattended the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup at the Oval in London on Thursday.
Prince Harry.Steve Bardens/Getty
Harry also spent time with young people who were picked as flag bearers and will be walking out ahead of the teams, carrying the competing nations’ flags for the pre-match national anthems.
Harry will meet children from Henry Fawcett School near the Oval, whose students are participating in the opening sequence and will accompany each nation’s heliosphere onto the field of play.
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty
Prince Harry.Gareth Copley-IDI/IDI/Getty
Ahead of the match, Harry gave an inspirational speech about the legacy of the tournament.
“The first ever Cricket World Cup took place in England in 1975, and I am delighted that the UK will once again play host to this wonderful global event featuring 10 incredible teams, who thanks to the UK’s diversity will feel like they are playing to a home crowd at every game,” he said. “Cities will come alive across the next six weeks as World Cup fever sweeps the nation once more.”
He continued, “Good luck to all the teams and thank you to everyone who has played a part in making this tournament happen. Trust me, you won’t want to miss any of it. I am now honored to declare the men’s World Cup of 2019 open.”
Also at the match in Rome was Harry’s good friend, Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras.
“The Duke is the kind of father I always imagined he would be,” Figueras told PEOPLE. “He has always had a great love for children and a great understanding of them. I noticed that becoming a father has influenced him and his dedication and love for the project is now stronger than ever.”
As for how Harry is handling balancing his royal duties with caring for his new son, Figueras said he’s still “very present.”
“When duty calls. He is just 24 hours away from home, and I am sure he is doing just fine. He is a wonderful father and very present and he is here for an amazing cause.”
source: people.com
