RIO DE JANEIRO – Britain’s Prince Harry on Saturday played rugby with locals in Rio de Janeiro, donned a Brazil shirt to try his hand at beach volleyball and visited one of the city’s shanty towns.
Britain's Prince Harry plays rugby at Flamengo's beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Saturday (March 10, 2012). Harry is in Brazil at the request of the British government on a trip to promote ties and emphasize the transition from the upcoming 2012 London Games to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The prince began Saturday teaching tag-rugby to children and taking beach volleyball lessons. AP Photo/Felipe Dana
The 27-year-old, third in line to the British throne, also took a one-mile (1.6-kilometer) run through Flamengo Park alongside hundreds of people who had signed up to join him at the event as he made his first trip to the country.
His traditional yellow and green Brazil shirt had the number 11 and “Harry” written on the back.
In the afternoon, the prince took a cable car to the Complexo do Alemao, a sprawling favela that is home to 200,000 people which has been reformed since police and soldiers stormed the area in 2010 to evict drug dealers.
He was greeted by dozens of excited children before inaugurating a project for Educap, a charity group operated by the favela’s residents.
The prince then took to the stage with singer Diogo Nogueira and greeted the crowd, saying “hello” into the microphone.
Before the prince’s arrival at the favela however, which officials have deemed “pacified” since the 2010 crackdown, residents attacked patrolling security forces with stones and sticks, Brazilian media reported, with troops responding by firing rubber bullets. No injuries were reported.
After arriving Friday for a three-day official visit, he traveled to the top of the city’s famed Sugarloaf mountain to attend a samba school presentation and while there kicked off the “GREAT” campaign to promote Britain in its Olympic year and as Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne.
Brazil will host the 2016 Olympics.
Prince Harry, making his first solo royal tour, flew into Brazil after visiting Belize, the Bahamas and Jamaica. He will head to Sao Paulo, the country’s financial capital, after Rio and is scheduled to attend a polo match to raise funds for Sentabale, his charity in Lesotho.
Britain is the fourth largest foreign investor in Brazil. Last December Latin America’s dominant power displaced Britain as the world’s sixth biggest economy.
On Sunday, the prince was to take part in a polo match in Sao Paulo to raise money for Sentabale, his charity in Lesotho, and several local charities.