LONDON, United Kingdom – When a royal presence was needed at the women’s beach volleyball finals on Wednesday, August 8, there was only one man for the job: step forward, Prince Harry.
While the party-loving 27-year-old is no stranger to the Horse Guards Parade — the place where his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday is celebrated annually with a military pageant — this time, there were no scarlet tunics.
Instead, there were plenty of tanned thighs, toned muscles and tight-fitting bikinis.
Harry snuck in part-way through the first set of the bronze medal match, where Larissa Franca and Juliana Silva of Brazil beat China’s Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China by two sets to one.
He certainly seemed in his element in the rocking 15,000-seater temporary Olympic venue, with its thumping dance music.
The prince, 3rd in line to the throne, was there for his role as an ambassador for the Great Britain team.
“If I knew that, I would have won the game,” Zhang told AFP.
His appearance also got the Brazilian seal of approval.
“I have to give a kiss to him, he is so nice! Today he has brought luck for us!,” Juliana told AFP.
Larissa added, “I didn’t know he was here or I would have celebrated more! It’s great that he’s here and it’s good to know that our sport is getting recognized.”
Dressed casually in a Team GB polo shirt with his shades in his hand, Harry sat next to British double gold medal-winning track cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny.
Former England football captain David Beckham also joined the party, and was posing for pictures with fans.
The atmosphere was pumping, people were dancing to the pounding beats.
“The more noise, the better! This isn’t Wimbledon, darlings!” hollered the announcer.
Harry was treated to several vibrant routines by the Horse Guards Parade Dance Crew, featuring 11 women in flowery bikinis, who saluted the stand he was in.
Harry’s fellow troops, on security duty, got their cameras out to fire off a few photos — but this time of the prince rather than the athletes on the sand.
And there was yet more star power for the all-US gold medal match, where Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings beat Jennifer Kessy and April Ross in straight sets to claim their 3rd consecutive beach volleyball Olympic title.
The Horse Guards Parade is one of the most spectacular locations of the London 2012 Games, situated in the heart of British political power.
Harry’s Clarence House home is a 5-minute walk away. – Robin Millard, Agence France-Presse
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.