Prince Harry Crashes the California Waves in Surprising New Surfing Video!

The Duke of Sussex reportedly received surfing lessons as a gift from his wife Meghan Markle

Prince Harry immerses himself in a California pastime: surfing!

On October 16, professional surfer Raimana Van Bastolaer posted a new video of the 40-year-old Duke of Sussex showing off his surfing skills. Van Bastolaer said the surfing excursion took place at Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch, a man-made wave facility in Lemoore, California.

“In Tahiti we still call you Prince Harry, but at Surfranch it’s my brother. It was an honor to have you surf with me and @kellyslater@michaelanders_ at @kswaveco,” Van Bastolaer wrote on Instagram, crediting photographer Todd Glaser and three other accounts.

The one-minute video showed Harry wearing a dark top and shorts and jumping on a surfboard, while Van Bastolaer apparently shared words of encouragement – ​​as well as some technical tips!

Related: Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s New Dynamic: ‘A Two-Pronged Approach is Evolving,’ Says Friend (Exclusive)

“Get up, go up,” the Tahitian surfing pro told Prince Harry as he found his balance. As the Duke of Sussex navigated the waves, Van Bastolaer shouted phrases such as “I love you brother,” “Move your shoulder” and “Keep going.”

He also shared an action shot of Harry surfing the tunnel of a wave, called a barrel, on his Instagram Stories with an approving caption. “Pretty deep brother Harry,” he wrote.

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved from Britain to her home state of California in 2020, it was reported that she bought him surfing lessons as a birthday present when he turned 36.

The Duke of Sussex has also previously crossed paths with ‘surfing kings’ Slater and Van Bastolaer, and the trio spent time together at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Austin, Texas in October 2023, the Daily mail reported.

In the past, Harry and Meghan have met with groups that use surfing as a mechanism to promote positive mental health. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex saw the work of Waves for Change in Cape Town, South Africa during their royal tour of the continent in 2019, and learned more about OneWave during a visit to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia during their royal tour there in 2018.

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The local surfing community is committed to raising awareness about mental health and wellness in an engaging way, and Sam Schumacher told PEOPLE. Harry opened up about his own problems as the royal couple joined their ‘anti-bad vibe circle’ for a discussion.

“In fact, he showed us that actually opening up and talking about your emotions is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness,” Schumacher said. ‘And the sooner you can do that, it really helps you a lot. That was exactly what helped him so much.’

It’s been a sporty week for Prince Harry and his brother Prince William, who practiced throwing a football (the American version!) during a day out with the NFL Foundation UK on October 15.

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