Moment Meghan Markle warmly embraces Prince Harry’s polo pal after he went in for formal handshake in new Netflix series
She famously described herself as a ‘hugger’ in her Netflix series – and Meghan Markle certainly lived up to that label in Prince Harry‘s new polo documentary.
This morning, the five-episode series POLO – which delves into the ‘fierce rivalries’ between teams competing in the US Open Polo Championship – landed on Netflix.
In the final episode of the series, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, is filmed attending the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, which benefits Sentebale – the charity Prince Harry co-founded in 2006.
At the annual event, which took place in April at the USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida, Prince Harry’s Royal Salute team triumphed over Maseru – who were led by the Duke’s close friend Nacho Figueras.
Following their victory, the Duchess of Sussex joined her husband in congratulating the players, including Adolfo Cambiaso – who has won nine US Open Polo Championships over the course of his 34-year career.
As the Duchess approached Adolfo on the field, the player reached out his palm for a handshake – before Meghan went in for a hug.
The mother-of-two was filmed grabbing onto Adolfo’s hand and pulling the polo player close.
During their warm exchange, Adolfo says ‘nice to meet you’ and tells Meghan that he is ‘very well’.
Pictured: Polo player Adolfo Cambiaso – who was on Prince Harry’s Royal Salute team – goes to shake Meghan Markle’s hand after the team triumphed at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge
As the Duchess approached Adolfo on the field, the player reached out his palm for a handshake – before Meghan went in for a hug
Prince Harry, who had been standing to one side during the interaction, then chimes in to tell his teammate that his wife speaks Spanish fluently.
Speaking in Spanish, Meghan – who spent three months in Europe as a student in 2002 – replies: ‘I lived there about 20 years ago. In Palermo Viejo. Las Canitas too.’
Adolfo responded: ‘That’s great. That’s where the polo fields were.’
After this, Adolfo turns to Prince Harry and asks if she speaks Spanish.
Answering for her husband, Meghan replies ‘yes’ – before erupting into giggles.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry adds: ‘He knows me. He knows I don’t! [I speak] a little, a little.’
Two years ago, Meghan famously labelled herself a ‘hugger’ in the Duke and Duchess’ bombshell Netflix docu-series.
In the series, the former Suits actress opened up about her first meeting with the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose with Adolfo Cambiaso following Royal Salute’s victory at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in April
In her bombshell Netflix series in 2022, the former Suits actress opened up about her first meeting with the Prince and Princess of Wales (pictured)
Meghan and Kelly held hands as they posed for photos at the children’s event last night, in Los Angeles
Meghan Markle and her BFF Kelly McKee Zajfen put on a sweet display at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala on Saturday night
She explained: ‘Even when Will and Kate came over [to Nottingham Cottage] and I was meeting her for the first time I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot.
‘Like I was a hugger, I have always been a hugger I didn’t realise that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.’
‘I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward facing way of being and then you close the door and think “OK we can relax now”.
‘But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me.’
While she was still a working royal, Meghan embraced more informal greetings with the public – and also offered warm hugs to the parents whose children have been the victims of online bullying earlier this year.
In an interview for American broadcaster CBS, the royals discussed the launch of The Parents Network with anchor Jane Pauley and hugged and spoke with parents who lost their children to suicide, which in many cases was linked to social media usage.
The CBS segment praised the Sussex’s willingness to hug members of the public, with the news anchor saying at the start of the interview: ‘Harry and Meghan are definitely big huggers’.
Harry and Meghan were shown embracing parents from The Parents’ Network as they met in person for its launch
Meghan is no stranger to showing warmth when it comes to meeting members of the public, including Luke Vincent, aged five, from Buninyong Public School, at Dubbo Airport (pictured)
Meghan Markle was praised on American broadcast network CBS over the weekend for being a ‘big hugger’ – a characteristic she has repeatedly demonstrated, including during a 2018 visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen in London (pictured)
What’s more, the Duchess is never afraid to be tactile with her husband in public and is regularly seen tightly holding his hand or placing her hand on his back.
In October, Meghan put on an affectionate display with her BFF Kelly McKee Zajifen at the LA Children’s Hospital charity gala.
On the red carpet, the pair – who met through Meghan’s producer ex-husband Trevor Engelson – held hands while posing for photos and sweetly beaming at one another.
Kelly is the co-founder for the Alliance of Moms, an LA ‘community of philanthropists who support pregnant and parenting teens in LA’s foster care system’.
The event was no doubt one close to Kelly’s heart after her late son George died aged just nine in July 2022 after being found unresponsive in their family home.
And Meghan showed herself to be the ultimate supportive pal, showing her best friend she was there for her throughout the event.
In August, Meghan was also seen sharing hugs with Kelly and her husband Julian at the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament – once again showing the affectionate bond between them.
