'Harry Is the Best as a Guy Friend': Polo Star Nacho Figueras Joins Prince Harry on the Royal's First Day in Florida

Despite several hours of heavy rain, Prince Harry was eager to play a round robin polo match with three teams at Valiente Polo Farm in Wellington, Florida, Wednesday afternoon.

The exciting competition on horseback was designed to benefit Prince Harry’s Sentebale, which supports young people living with HIV in Lesotho, Africa.

"Harry is so committed to this charity that he never fails to inspire me," Nacho Figueras, 39, tells PEOPLE.

The superstar 6-goal polo player and Ralph Lauren model, who played against Prince Harry in the Wed. match and is also a Sentebale Ambassador, says the work Prince Harry has done for the charity, which includes opening the Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho, is impressive because he "truly cares."



"With Harry’s leadership, we are changing a whole generation for the better," Figueras tells PEOPLE.

About 400 people attended this rain soaked Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup event to cheer on Prince Harry, 31, and the other 11 polo players. Many remember 1985 when his late mother Princess Diana visited to watch Prince Charles play polo at another Wellington stadium.

"It feels so right to have Prince Harry play polo here because we are such an equestrian town," says Anne Gerwig, Wellington’s newly crowned mayor. "I feel like Cinderella hoping to meet the Prince! We are privileged to have him here."

Due to Wednesday’s soggy fields, the teams used their mallets to hit a big leather inflated ball instead of the usual small ball because it is safer in adverse weather conditions. But nothing dampened the spirits of the crowd, who mostly came from Palm Beach, 25 minutes away, to enjoy the sport of kings and princes.

Prince Harry arrived in south Florida from England Tuesday for a two-city visit in Florida to indulge his passion for philanthropy.

After his polo team, Sentebale ISPS Handa, defeated Figueras’ Royal Salute, and the third team, Valiente, with 8-goal, polo star Nic Roldan, Prince Harry and the other players enjoyed a private dinner with members of the charity at Valiente Polo Farm.

Thursday he will travel to Orlando and spend about a week at the Invictus Games (May 8—12), an international Paralympic style event that he created so wounded and ill veterans can participate in a variety of sports like wheel chair basketball, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, etc.

Figueras says Prince Harry is filled with energy, and it’s not all do-good work. He also likes to have fun.

"Harry is the best as a guy friend," Figueras – who is launching a new polo-themed book series for women, The Polo Season Series, on May 31 – tells PEOPLE.

"Not only is he competitive and energetic when he plays polo, but he is a fun person to be around in general. It is wonderful to see him."