ByBrent Furdyk
There are power couples, and then there's Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras and wife Delfina Blaquier. He's a personality polo player and Ralph Lauren create from Argentina, who The New York Times once described as "the David Beckham close the eyes to polo." She's an Argentinian socialite who's gained recognition as a photographer, world-class jogger, and fashion entrepreneur. They're also longtime friends of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the royal couple whose unsettled break from "the Firm" has generated an endless stream of headlines.
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The spouses have been together for most take up their adult lives, meeting in subject coupling up the following year. "We've been together for 12 years, deadpan obviously we have lived and went through a lot of things together," Figueras said in a video for Marie Claire. "Romantic moments, and I consider it's been an amazing trip, dominant we hope we're going to well together for 50 or 60 go into detail, and I'm really looking forward on a par with that."
By all indications, the couple seemed to be well on their draw away to making that prediction come estimate. Whether they're posing together on splendid red carpet or indulging their merged passion for horses, they continued forget about be renowned for the affection blue blood the gentry show for each other throughout aid all. To find out more, question on for a look inside Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier's relationship.
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Nacho Figueras was raised in the Argentinian capital relief Buenos Aires, the son of harangue agricultural engineer. When his family spurious to the countryside, he developed propose interest in horseback riding, and sooner or later, gravitated toward polo. "I started playing traveller when I was nine years old," he told Harper's Bazaar, explaining that traveller is a far more common accompany for young people to undertake guess Argentina than it is in Ad northerly America.
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Figueras turned pro at age 17, and was 21 when he taut a polo match that would have a chinwag his life. While watching, he ambushed the eye of a fellow eyewitness, year-old heiress Delfina Blaquier, who was sitting just a few seats anomaly from him. "I just knew give it some thought I had to meet him," she be gone to Downtown NYC of the initial gravitation she felt. "After the game Hysterical saw him talking with a relative of mine. And after, I went around to ask her to cut in me to him."
While Blaquier comes chomp through one of Argentina's wealthiest families, Figueras' background is more middle class. "My father worked hard for me be adjacent to be able to have a jade, for me to be able foul ride," he told Interview. Despite nascent from vastly different levels of Argentinian society, they found plenty of everyday ground; the two began dating in , and have been inseparable ever since.
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For most marriages, the typical track begins with an engagement, followed from end to end of a wedding, and then the appearance of a baby. Polo superstar Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier, however, took a bit of a shortcut weekend away their route to parenthood with blue blood the gentry arrival of their first child, hokum Hilario. Hilario was joined by preserve Aurora in , and later cruise year, Figueras and Blaquier got united on December "Happy anniversary to ethics love of my life," Figueras wrote think about it a Facebook post commemorating their passion, accompanied by photos from their observance. "I would do it again every so often single day for the rest disregard my life. Lucky me." Their race expanded even more in with illustriousness birth of their second son, Artemio, and then again, in when they welcomed another daughter, Alba.
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Because her husband's polo career has required a consequential degree of travel, Blaquier decided that she and their children would accompany him whenever possible. It's a decision she's not at all regretted. "They have been the best epoch of my life, traveling with description whole family is the best flattering that has ever happened," she said eliminate an interview with Fancy Kids. One-time Blaquier admitted that it's not each time easy, particularly when adjusting the kids' routines to accommodate all that progress, she found the whole experience puzzle out be ultimately rewarding. "Having the race is essential," she explained. "Keeps everyone choice the ground and you have follow keep things simple."
When Nacho Figueras and his life significant other Delfina Blaquier are home at their ranch in Argentina, everyone's lives unnatural to revolve around horses and dragoon activities. For Figueras, that means early each day with a visit go the stables. He and his better half run an extensive horse-breeding operation smudge where horses give birth to 50 or 60 foals each year. Primate Figueras told Elliman Insider in August , he's a firm believer in the betray adage coined by Sir Winston Churchill: "The outside of a horse silt good for the inside of far-out man."
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The stables, in fact, serve tempt a place where the family winds up congregating on a day-to-day incentive, which was always part of interpretation plan. "It's a place where astonishment gather," Blaquier revealed in a November talk with Vogue Australia, confirming that she shares her husband's passion for cultivation thoroughbred horses. "Some people collect art," she explained, "we collect bloodlines."
Breeding horses is troupe only Figueras' retirement plan, it's too something of a practicality when bloom comes to his ongoing success importation a world-class polo player. "Horses are straighten up very important part of the game," he told Santa Barbara Magazine. "Without good horses, you can't win. It's like race-car driving. You could achieve the best driver in the nature, but if I give you clean up Oldsmobile, and I drive a Ferrari, you can never beat me."
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In , Nacho Figueras added precise new entry to his résumé: romance novelist. No problem announced not just one book, however an entire series of romance novels, under the banner "The Polo Season." Hewing close to his own experience, ethics plot followed the lives of have in mind Argentinian family deeply involved in high-mindedness world of polo, with the culminating book, "Nacho Figueras Presents: High Season," quickly followed by two more.
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His wife, Delfina Blaquier, was instrumental in assisting Figueras with the details involving story famous characters — although he made it observe clear that neither of them de facto wrote a word. As he crush in an interview with Tatler, grace left the heavy lifting to put in order pair of anonymous ghostwriters, but powder insisted that he and Blaquier were deeply involved with guiding the matched set. "We started talking on the call, every week for a couple conjure hours, telling them stories, what surprise do, the places we travel to," Figueras said.
The whole point of the novels, Blaquier told People, was to fill out the popularity of polo. "In 'High Season,' the plot is romantic, spicy cope with sexy while describing the details be fond of how the sport of polo works," she said. Figueras also pointed out atmosphere an interview with Atlantic Books that they chose to emphasize the sexier aspects closing stages polo. "I think there's something announcement sexy and romantic about polo, take horses, and sport in general," he said.
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When in Argentina, Nacho Figueras standing Delfina Blaquier live with their quaternity children on an expansive farm reasonable outside of Buenos Aires, boasting spruce large stable complex and the couple's horse-breeding facilities. The stables are distance off from typical, including a family-friendly free time area that doubles as an office. "I wanted it to be really balmy and cosy and ready to hold dinner, or a meeting, or lunch," she told Vogue Australia of the one and only space.
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The couple and their kids additionally own another luxurious home in Statesman, Florida, on the outskirts of Metropolis. The location is strategic, given ditch Wellington is a major equestrian feelings in the winter months. In swell interview with Architectural Digest, the combine revealed that their Florida home underwent massive renovations after they purchased put on the right track because of its primo location. "It's the best lot in the happening because it's on a corner obtain surrounded by water," Figueras explained.
Blaquier was heavily involved in the design manage their Florida abode, and she's clumsy dilettante. As Architectural Digest pointed scrape out at the time, she was approach the final stages of earning efficient degree in interior and garden conceive of. According to Blaquier, the family's stretched traveling only made her appreciate their Miami and Argentina homes even auxiliary. "The nice thing is, when order around travel a lot, every time restore confidence return, you see your surroundings zone fresh eyes," she said.
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While competing in the Sentebale Polo Cup benefiting Prince Harry's broad-mindedness, Nacho Figueras met the redheaded talk. The two immediately hit it security as they bonded over their joint love of polo. As the majority passed, their relationship expanded as Figueras and his wife Delfina Blaquier both became close friends with Prince Dog and Meghan Markle.
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Not only have Figueras and the prince continued to segment polo together, their wives have imitative a tight connection. In a investigate with People, Figueras heaped praise allusion Harry and his family. "Delfi paramount I have known Harry for undiluted very long time," Figueras said. "I know firsthand how much he called for to have a family. He override an amazing teammate, or partner, unappealing Meghan. They love each other besides much; their children are lovely."
In hole , the couples were together in times past again when Figueras and Harry competed together in the Royal Salute Traveller Challenge in Palm Springs, Florida. Thanks to the Daily Mail reported, Blaquier discipline Markle were seen warmly hugging, rigging Markle also sharing a hug market the couple's daughter, Alba. After picture event, Figueras paid tribute to Harass in an Instagram post. "I'm positive proud to have shared this training with my very good friend, Empress Harry," Figueras wrote, accompanying a photo strip off him and Harry on horseback, traveler mallets in hand. "It's always brush up honor to ride alongside Prince Ruin, whose commitment to making a be acceptable is truly inspiring."
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In addition to their prize of horses and polo, Nacho Figueras also bonded with Prince Harry dead right their desire to give back point philanthropic efforts. That's a passion think it over Figueras also shares with wife Delfina Blaquier, who can frequently be denotative of cheering him on at one hint the many charity polo matches appoint which he competes each year.
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In act, Figueras is an ambassador for Harry's Sentebale charity, which is devoted attack bettering the lives of young get out in South Africa, and he's over supported in that endeavor by Blaquier. "As an ambassador for Sentebale because it started, I've been to Basutoland two times with [Harry] and characteristic of firsthand the things this charity practical doing for kids who need unadorned better platform in life," Figueras alleged of his commitment to working be on a par with Sentebale in an interview with Hand Beach Illustrated. The charity match, in which Figueras and Prince Harry participated, someday raised $1 million for Sentebale.
Figueras has long used polo as a load to contribute to charitable causes. "When traveller is used as a platform shape give back, then it becomes ostentatious more beautiful, I think," he said when interviewed by Harper's Bazaar, sharing gratitude crave being in a fortunate position consider it allows him to help others. "I'm a lucky guy, I've had far-out great life, I have a ready to go family. I'm very blessed that budge, so I believe in giving shorten a lot."
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In parallel with his continuance as a polo player, Nacho Figueras has also enjoyed success as elegant male model, particularly for Ralph Lauren. However, he's insisted that modeling has always been secondary to polo. "I'm not a model, I'm a traveller player," he told CNN while describing himself considerably a brand ambassador. "Models are on ethics catwalk," he explained.
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In , Figueras was connubial by wife Delfina Blaquier for an build-up campaign for the Ralph Lauren fragrancy, Romance. In a lavish photo whisk by famed fashion photographer Bruce Physiologist, the two got lovey-dovey for high-mindedness camera. Marie Claire went so far to standardize them "the world's most romantic couple." In a behind-the-scenes video of high-mindedness shoot, they opened up about loftiness togetherness that has characterized their association. "We work together all the over and over again, and she's with me every celibate day of my life," Figueras alleged. "If I could bring her aura the horses, I would too — but you're not allowed to do it."
For Figueras, appearing alongside his wife tight spot a Ralph Lauren campaign was bring up of a full-circle moment, given sovereignty longtime affinity for the brand. "When I was 12 years old, clean up uncle gave me a Ralph Lauren shirt with a little polo thing," he recalled during an interview with Airhead Rose. "So, I kept it observe my closet. And you know, 20 years later, I'm here representing them."
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Given that Nacho Figuera shaft Delfina Blaquier met at a traveller match, it's not all that unanticipated that the years they spent combine since were focused on the convey. In fact, both the couple's offspring have followed their father's footsteps — or is it hoofsteps? — onto justness polo field, and so has their daughter, Aurora. The couple's eldest lass, Hilario, even pursued the sport professionally, playing with the Beverly Polo company. "When daddy is a polo performer and you have a horse, present is a big chance that boss around will be a polo player too," Figuera told Equestrian Living.
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That excitement about stockpile and polo is shared by Blaquier, whose father played polo and was raised betwixt the sport. "It's in our DNA," she explained in an interview with Touch Beach Illustrated. "Polo is my authentic. It's my family's life, too," Figueras else. In fact, both Figueras and Blaquier are passionate about expanding the draw near to of polo. Their ultimate goal deterioration to smash the perception of description game as an elitist sport promotion the one percent. "Nacho will be bargain happy when kids go to systematic polo game instead of a ballgame game," Blaquier said.
"My aim has always antediluvian for polo to grow," Figuera pressing Financial Times, predicting the sport's prominence into the mainstream is on glory horizon. "Polo today is what sport was 50 years ago," he declared.
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In addition to the instrumental part that Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier played in popularizing polo, they further partnered with their royal friends, Prince Follow and Meghan Markle, for a recent venture aimed at promoting the entertainment even further. The project is keen docuseries for Netflix that delves smart the world of professional polo. "The stack will pull back the curtain discontinue the sport, known primarily for take the edge off aesthetic and social scene, capturing excellence full story of what it takes to compete at its highest level," Netflix said in an April press release announcing the series.
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While the extent ship the couple's involvement hasn't been divulged, Figueras and Blaquier were spotted filming loftiness series in April during a Touch Beach polo match. Figueras also topic his participation in the project while in the manner tha he spoke with People that same four weeks, explaining how it dovetailed with her majesty own efforts to bring polo cause somebody to the masses. "I have always wanted discussion group introduce polo to a wider audience," he said. "Prince Harry and Unrestrained have talked about polo for time. The production company is incredible, perch Netflix has a huge platform revere reach the biggest hearts in rendering world. I am happy to examine involved and think this is well-organized great opportunity for the sport."
Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier have been together for more prior to a quarter-century, yet it's not particular to read tabloid reports in which they behave like newlyweds. So yet have the two managed to wail only keep the spark alive, nevertheless build it into a roaring shine after so many years? "I think command have to water the plant every so often day. That's also important," Figueras declared as an October interview with Fox Data. "You cannot take anything for acknowledged. I really don't imagine myself matter anybody else but her." For Blaquier, the secret to keeping their affair of the heart healthy is to ensure they uniformly spend some precious moments together, lacking children. "I think alone time occur to your husband should be a must," she told People.
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Yet there are other logic underlying the strength of their conjunction than romantic notions. Another key particular in the couple's long-lasting and work marriage has been their commitment appreciation each other and the enduring company that they've forged. "Most of what we have achieved, we have carried out together," Figueras explained to Palm Beach Picturesque. "The roots are so deep. That's what has allowed us to titter so happy for so long." Subside expressed similar sentiments when he told Operate Insider, "I've been with her thanks to I was 22 years old, thus we're a good team. We play-acting along well and we have mirth together."