Prince William Pays Final Tribute to Beloved Polo Teacher at Funeral Service

The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, made a surprise appearance at the funeral service of his former polo teacher, Clare Tomlinson.

The former England national team captain and coach played a significant role in the prince's childhood and love for sports.

William joined over 200 friends and family members at the service, held at St Mary's Church in Tetbury, located in the Cotswolds, on January 28.

Clare Tomlinson passed away on January 13 at the age of 77 after battling dementia.

She was the highest-rated British female polo player in history and the first woman to compete against men in top-level or high-goal polo.

She was also the first woman to win the County Cup in 1972 and the Queen's Cup in 1979, despite being repeatedly denied entry to high-goal tournaments.

Clare still holds the woman's high-goal handicap record to this day.

Miss Tomlinson coached both Prince William and Prince Harry how to play polo at Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire.

After coaching the young princes, she was often spotted attending their polo matches and watching from the sidelines alongside Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince William and Prince Harry were also close to her sons, Luke and Mark.

They played in polo games together over the years and were even invited to the Royal Weddings of William in 2011 and Harry in 2018.

The funeral service was an amazing and beautiful tribute to one of the world's greatest players.

Many of the mourners were players she had taught as children.

The Daily Mail reported that the service was held just a mile away from Prince Charles' Highgrove estate.

Clare's sons and grandchildren were present at the service.

Both Prince William and Prince Harry are talented polo players, like their father and grandfather before them.

However, they have been participating in fewer polo games in recent years due to work and family responsibilities.

They still play polo in support of their charities, but they cannot commit to as many polo matches as they used to, according to a Palace source who spoke to People magazine in 2019.

Last August, Prince Harry participated in the Centibale ISPS Handa Polo Cup in Aspen to raise funds for his Centibale charity.

Meanwhile, Prince William got back in the saddle in Windsor last summer to support several charitable organizations.

The Hurlingham Polo Club released a statement on Clare Tomlinson's passing, saying, “The HPA is very sad to learn of the death of Clare Tomlinson.

At the age of 77, Clare died peacefully at home with her children by her side.

Clare was the first woman player to reach five goals and was a trailblazer for women players around the world.

She was an innovative and inspiring coach to many generations of players, including coaching England teams at every level, as well as a polo pony breeder and trainer of immense renown.

She will be sorely missed by all who knew her, but her legacy will live on through her children and grandchildren at the Beaufort Polo Club.

Our thoughts are with the family.”

Clare Tomlinson's legacy will undoubtedly continue to live on through her influence on the sport of polo and the many players she coached throughout her career.

Her impact on Prince William and Prince Harry, and their love for the sport, is a testament to her skill and dedication as a teacher and coach.