Harry scores a hit in Harlem

Published on Saturday 30 May 2009 19:48

PRINCE Harry's athletic and mathematical abilities were put to the test yesterday during a visit to a children's centre in Harlem.

On the second day of a two-day tour to New York City, the 24-year-old prince was put through his paces at a school close to where his mother won hearts 20 years previously by hugging a child suffering from Aids.

The visit took place ahead of a charity polo tournament to raise funds for Sentebale – the charity set up by Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.

In a warm-up to the matches that lay ahead of them, the two princes took part in an impromptu obstacle course – in the school's sports hall, cheered on by enthusiastic youngsters.

Last night, the princes were due to be rubbing shoulders with celebrities including rapper Kanye West and actresses Kate Hudson and Chloe Sevigny at the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic on Governors Island.

Arriving at the Harlem children's zone, Harry was introduced to staff before being ushered into a maths class. Despite having had to come in on their day off, the teenagers did not appear to bear a grudge, and helpfully explained to the visiting royal a series of maths equations.

Harry asked the class: "Who is the cleverest at maths?"

A teacher replied that all of them were, and the prince joked: "I was always the worst."

Harry paid special attention to the work of one nearby pupil, who talked him through a couple of the answers. Brandon Black, 16, said that the prince asked him about a test he was taking, adding: "He was nice."

Prince Harry was then taken to a cooking demonstration in the school cafeteria. After being talked through the ingredients of the African dish he was being served, Harry grabbed his neck and said "Anchovies, urgh", to the laughter of the gathered youngsters.

But he gamely tucked into the meal of mince and rice, seemingly overcoming his objection to the highly flavoured fish.

After filling up, the prince was taken to the sports hall, where games of hockey and American football were taking place.

Spotting a relay race going on, Harry felt the urge to test his speed against his fellow visiting prince.

Harry and Prince Seeiso took their marks and set off at high speed to their goal – a balloon perched on a chair. They arrived at roughly the same time, sitting firmly down and bursting the balloon.

It was a close-run thing, but Harry took it as a victory, holding his arms aloft and taking in the cheers of the pupils.

Yesterday's fun events were in contrast to the engagements of his first day in New York, during which he commemorated victims of the terrorist attack of 11 September, 2001, at the World Trade Center and visited a centre for limbless veterans.

Asked if he thought the trip – his first formal overseas engagement – had changed his public image, Harry replied: "I do not know what the public image is of me. There's always the image that has been given to me, but you know, it is the media that stamp an image on me that really isn't me."