Prince Harry makes first public appearance since birth of Lilibet

The Duke of Sussex took part in a charity polo match on Thursday, helping raise more than £2m

(AP)

Prince Harry has made his first public appearance since welcoming his daughter, Lilibet, at a charity polo match in the US.

The Duke of Sussex returned to the field in Aspen, Colorado on Thursday to raise money for Sentebale, a mental health charity that supports young people affected by AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.

The father of two was pictured back in the saddle, scoring two goals for his team and leading them to a 3-0 victory.

Ahead of the event, he announced that $1.5 million (£1.1m) of the proceeds from his upcoming memoir, due to be published next year, will be donated to the cause.

“I’m thrilled to be able to support Sentebale, both in person and financially through a separate charitable donation to meet this immediate need.

“This is one of several donations I plan to make to charitable organisations and I’m grateful to be able to give back in this way for the children and communities who gravely need it,” he said.

Harry said the match, which raised almost $3.5 million (£2.5m) in total, was “critical to securing the funds needed to advance” the charity’s aim.

“Our refocussed mission at Sentebale is about addressing the most immediate needs of vulnerable children in Southern Africa, helping them access vital health services, receive necessary care, and build skills to be more resilient and self-sufficient in the future,” he said.

Harry co-founded Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 in memory of his mother, Princess Diana, after visiting the country during his gap year.

The annual polo match, known as the ISPS Handa Polo Cup, marks his first public appearance since he announced the birth of his second child with his wife, Meghan Markle, in June.

The charity event was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Harry was also in attendance in May 2019, flying to Rome just weeks after the birth of his first child, Archie.