Prince Harry may have traded royal life for California sunshine, but this week, the Duke of Sussex temporarily swapped palm trees for powdery slopes. While Meghan Markle and their two children stayed back home in Montecito, Prince Harry quietly headed to Colorado for a solo ski getaway that quickly caught the internet’s attention.
The 41-year-old was spotted enjoying time on the slopes in Aspen, Colorado, alongside close friend Nacho Figueras. According to reports, Harry spent several hours skiing, fully decked out in winter gear with a helmet and sunglasses, before settling in for lunch at one of the resort’s restaurants, per People.
It was very much a guys-only kind of day, with several male friends joining the pair during the outing. Notably absent from the snowy adventure were Meghan Markle and their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who remained back in California ahead of the holidays.
Prince Harry Goes Skiing With The Boys In Colorado
While some fans may raise an eyebrow at Harry taking off solo, skiing has long been one of his favorite pastimes. The Duke has been hitting the slopes since childhood, vacationing in cold-weather destinations like Switzerland with the royal family long before his life shifted stateside. More recently, he even tested out adaptive skiing during the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler’s “One Year to Go” celebrations in 2024, showing that his connection to the sport runs deeper than just leisure.
This wasn’t Harry’s first time in Aspen, either. The Colorado hotspot holds some personal significance, as he previously competed there with Figueras during the Sentebale Polo Cup at the Aspen Valley Polo Club in August 2022. That shared history likely made the trip feel familiar and relaxed, especially as Harry has largely stayed out of the public eye in recent weeks.
The ski day also marked Harry’s first public sighting in a while, as he and Meghan have been keeping things fairly low-key leading into the holidays. According to reports, the Sussex family plans to celebrate Christmas together at home in Montecito, California, suggesting that this Colorado trip was more of a quick personal reset than a family vacation.
The timing of the outing is also interesting, as Meghan has been dealing with a deeply personal situation involving her estranged father, Thomas Markle. Earlier this month, Meghan reportedly reached out to him following a serious medical procedure in the Philippines, where he currently lives.
Meghan Markle And The Family Stayed Back In California
The contact marked the first communication between them in years, after their relationship fractured ahead of her 2018 royal wedding. While Meghan kept the outreach private at first, reports later confirmed that efforts were made to ensure a message reached him during his recovery.
Against that backdrop, Harry’s brief escape to the mountains feels less like drama and more like a moment of normalcy. Between family responsibilities, public scrutiny, and ongoing personal matters, a day spent skiing with friends in Colorado may have simply been a way for him to decompress.
“Probably wanted some time away from Meghan,” one person commented. “He probably wasn’t doing anything else,” suggested another. “Good for him,” a third comment read.
As the holidays approach, Harry is expected back in California, reunited with Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet. But for a few hours on the slopes, the Duke of Sussex reminded everyone that even princes sometimes need a solo ski day to clear their heads.
Kenna Raye 
Nina Franklin 
