Memoir Reveals Dramatic Polo Incident That Almost Claimed Monarch’s Life
As a young boy, Prince Harry witnessed a terrifying moment that could have ended in tragedy when his father, King Charles III, was saved by a quick-thinking fellow polo player. In his memoir Spare, the Duke of Sussex recounts the chilling event when Charles was thrown from his horse during a polo match, an incident that nearly claimed the King's life.
Initially, it seemed as though Charles had simply fallen asleep after the fall, but the reality was far more dangerous—he had swallowed his tongue. Thanks to the swift action of another player, who cleared his airway just in time, Charles’s life was spared.
Years later, this haunting memory would resurface for Harry during a critical moment of his own. As he contemplated a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas, Harry reflected on his father's brush with death, ultimately deciding to embrace the adventure and seize the moment.
In Spare, Harry also shares a parallel experience from years later while playing polo in Brazil to raise funds for his charity Sentebale. During the match, a fellow player took a hard fall, echoing the frightening memory from Harry’s youth. Without hesitation, Harry rushed to help, instinctively mirroring the life-saving actions he had witnessed as a boy when his father’s life was in peril.
