In the first sighting of Prince Harry following news of his father-in-law, Thomas Markle’s leg amputation, the Duke of Sussex was spotted enjoying the ski slopes in Aspen, Colorado. Prince Harry joined his polo-playing friend, Nacho Figueras, for a short break, while his wife, Meghan Markle and two children, reportedly remained at home.

Keeping in line with sporty attire, the pair were dressed ready for action, with the Duke wearing a mauve ski jacket with a blue contrasting zip and black ski trousers with matching boots. A source told Hello! Magazine: “Prince Harry was with Nacho for about four hours on the mountains. The pair spent the day skiing and enjoyed lunch together at one of the restaurants at the resort.”

They added: “Harry seemed happy and was also joined by a number of male friends on the slopes.”

It is expected to be a quiet Christmas in the Sussex household as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not been invited by King Charles to Sandringham to spend Christmas with the wider Royal Family.

He will also miss out on seeing his brother, Prince William, Princess Catherine, and their three children as they make their way to Norfolk for the holidays.

According to the outlet, Meghan Markle, 44, and their children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, did not join the private ski trip, but the family will celebrate Christmas at home in Montecito, California, next week. 

Prince Harry has been skiing since childhood with his mum, the late Princess of Wales, joining his family members in cold-weather destinations such as Switzerland for vacation.

A fan of the cold sport, he also got to test an adaptive ski at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler’s One Year to Go celebrations in 2024 for the Invictus Games.

The sighting of Harry comes after Meghan made contact with her estranged father, Thomas Markle, for the first time in years, after he had surgery to amputate his leg in the Philippines.

A spokesman for the Duchess of Sussex said in a statement on Dec. 10 that a note was “safely” delivered to Thomas, 81, “with the support of reliable and trusted contacts.”

Meghan has been estranged from her father since just before her royal wedding to Harry in May, 2018.