THERE is a gap in the diaries of several prominent members of the British Royal family at the same time as the World Polo Championship, while a member of the Jaipur Royal Family will play in the tournament.
Make what you will of the diary gaps, but Peter Higgins, Sydney Polo Club CEO, knows many members through polo and even has a photo of himself with Prince Harry and Prince William at the polo barn at the club grounds.
Mr Higgins said he would neither confirm nor deny whether members of the Royal Family would attend.
Prince Harry has an engagement in Copenhagen on October 24, while Prince Charles has one in London on October 25.
Prince William has no official engagements listed in The Royal Diary for the period of the championship.
The gaps mean, if desired, they could make either the first or second weekend of the championship, which runs from October 21 to 29.
At the same time, HH Padmanabh Singh, Maharaja of Jaipur, will play on the Indian team in the tournament.
A Maharaja is an Indian king, and the family has a very close connection with world cup polo.
Polo enthusiast and India Australia Business and Community Ambassador Indranil Halder told the Gazette that the world cup itself was donated to the Federation of International Polo in 1987, by Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh, the grand father of Padmanabh Singh.
Mr Halder said India and Australian had many close links through polo and said he hoped the World Polo Championship would help those links grow.
“[The Maharaja] is actively promoting bilateral engagement between the two polo playing nations with history and heritage,” he said.